In a time when the ATP Tour is seeing significant shifts, tensions are brewing between star players and the organization itself. The big news today? Massimo Calvelli, the ATP’s Chief Executive Officer, has announced he’s stepping down from his position this coming June. While there’s a buzz about who might step into his shoes, ATP Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi is gearing up to handle both Chairman and CEO duties temporarily.
“Massimo has been an outstanding leader for our organization,” Gaudenzi commented. “His strategic vision and relentless effort steered us through some challenging periods and significantly boosted our sport’s growth. I’m incredibly thankful for his leadership and wish him the best for his future.”
Calvelli wraps up a five-year stint with the ATP, one marked by navigating a global pandemic and driving critical strategic initiatives like the OneVision plan. Under his guidance, there were landmark changes, not least a surge in player compensation, which now exceeds where it was back in 2019 by over $100 million. Despite these achievements, the fight over player pay is far from over.
Tensions between Novak Djokovic’s Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) and the ATP, along with the WTA, have escalated to the courts. The PTPA claims players, especially those lower-ranked, aren’t getting a fair share of the revenues. Djokovic highlighted the struggles, saying many players can’t afford basic costs needed to stay competitive in global tennis.
“The number of players who can actually make a living from tennis is quite limited,” Djokovic explained during a Miami press conference. “That’s why I’ve pushed for fairer revenue sharing, to ensure grassroots levels thrive. Countless players have exited the sport because they simply can’t afford it, especially following the pandemic.”
A recent piece in the French sports journal L’équipe sheds light on this issue, revealing that the Top 20 players from both ATP and WTA circuits have signed a letter demanding a larger revenue share from the Grand Slams.
Djokovic, who maintains a rapport with Gaudenzi, criticized the ATP as flawed, arguing that they’ve consistently let players down. The PTPA seeks a stronger voice in key decisions, but so far, the ATP has shown resistance to this idea. Djokovic believes the current system stifles player representation.
“The ATP structure has been in place for years with equal power between players and tournaments in decision-making,” Djokovic noted before the 2024 Wimbledon. “But, I don’t think it fully serves the players’ interests. The system fails us too often, reinforcing the need for the PTPA. We’re sidelined on major decisions and need our voices heard.”
