Novak Djokovic is making a major career change — but fret not, the tennis star isn’t walking away from the sport.
“After careful consideration, I have decided to step away completely from the Professional Tennis Players Association,” Djokovic, 38, announced via X on Sunday, January 4.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion explained: “This decision comes after ongoing concerns regarding transparency, governance, and the way my voice and image have been represented.”
Djokovic noted that he is “proud of the vision” he and fellow Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) cofounder Vasek Pospisil shared when they founded the organization in 2021.
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He recalled wanting to give players “a stronger, independent voice,” claiming that over time that vision has shifted.
“It has become clear that my values and approach are no longer aligned with the current direction of the organization,” Djokovic revealed.
While some fans were concerned that Djokovic’s statement meant the end of his playing career, he reassured his followers that was not the case.
“I will continue to focus on my tennis, my family, and contributing to the sport in ways that reflect my principles and integrity,” Djokovic concluded. “I wish the players and those involved the best as they move forward, but for me, this chapter is now closed.”
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The Professional Tennis Players Association addressed Djokovic’s exit from the organization on Sunday, telling Us Weekly in a statement, “Players created the PTPA to secure a stronger, more transparent voice in professional tennis. The PTPA is governed by players and operates with open communication, collaborative decisions, and regular engagement. We always welcome the opportunity to address issues with any player, and remain available to do so.”
The statement continued: “As part of its mission, the PTPA initiated litigation against the tours and Grand Slams to advance reforms related to governance, transparency, and player rights. As a result, we have been targets of a coordinated defamation and witness intimidation campaign through the spreading of inaccurate and misleading narratives intended to discredit the PTPA, its staff, and its work. A federal court has already ruled this type of harassment improper and ordered it to cease.”
The organization concluded, “We are working closely with legal counsel, law enforcement and players to evaluate all available options to address the spread of misinformation. These attacks from non-player third parties will not distract us from our mission: pursuing meaningful reforms for all players.”
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Djokovic’s step back comes five years after he and Pospisil, 35, officially cofounded the “not-for-profit” corporation in Canada in 2021.
The pair, who are both professional tennis players, realized in 2019 that the players association founded in 1972 had become an “anti-competitive” organization no longer protecting its players, according to the PTPA’s official website, which sparked the new version of union.
The PTPA was formed to advocate for all players “at all levels, free from all conflicts of interest, so all players could focus on what they do best: train, compete and win — without worry,” per the website.
Djokovic’s exit from PTPA comes nearly one year after the organization filed a class-action lawsuit in March 2025. In its filing, the PTPA accused the women’s and men’s tours, the International Tennis Federation and the sport’s integrity agency of “systemic abuse, anti-competitive practices, and a blatant disregard for player welfare,” ESPN reported. (The Gram Slam events were later added to the list of defendants.)
Djokovic was not listed as a plaintiff in the lawsuit, but retired player Pospisil was among the athletes who were.
“I want other players to step up,” Djokovic said at the time per ESPN as his reason for not attaching his name to the suit.
According to the suit, the PTPA thinks players should be able to access more earnings with every win, noting that the higher ups that run the four Grand Slam tournaments — US Open, the French Open and the Australian Open — and other events “cap the prize money tournaments award and limit players’ ability to earn money off the court,” the outlet reported.
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When it comes to Djokovic’s career trajectory, he recently told reporters and fans after his ATP Tour win in Athens, Greece, in late November 2025 that he doesn’t have a retirement date in mind.
“I do want to keep on going. The 2028 LA Olympics are kind of a guiding star, but honestly, there is no limit. So, let’s see. You know what I mean?” he said at the time according to Tennis.com. “Let’s just keep going. I love hitting the tennis ball, and I love competing.”
Djokovic added: “People love to talk and speculate about retirement. But at the end of the day, I feel like I’m still contributing to the growth of tennis. That is a beautiful job.”
