Tennis Players Group Fights Ex-Counsel Over Control

The Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) and its affiliate Winners Alliance have filed a lawsuit in Chicago federal court against former general counsel Wajid Mir. The PTPA seeks to block Mir from representing himself as the organization's authorized agent, having removed him from his position last month. This internal leadership conflict arises at a crucial juncture for the PTPA's significant antitrust lawsuit pending in Manhattan.

The antitrust suit, initiated in 2020 with tennis star Novak Djokovic as a co-founder, accuses the Association of Tennis Professionals, Women's Tennis Association, and other entities of conspiring to limit player earnings. The PTPA's new lawsuit states that Mir has been giving unauthorized directions to the PTPA's antitrust counsel and engaging in improper settlement discussions with defendants. This has reportedly created confusion, with defendants using it to argue for the PTPA's dismissal from the antitrust case.

Separately, the PTPA filed a lawsuit in June against its sitting executive committee members in the District of Columbia Superior Court. That action aims to prevent a faction from seizing control of the PTPA, which they claim is influenced by outside commercial interests. Mir has asserted his role as general counsel in that case, though defense lawyers have contested his authority.

A hearing concerning the D.C. case is scheduled for July. The PTPA's antitrust case in New York sees defendants denying any wrongdoing. The PTPA is also reportedly nearing a deal with Tennis Australia related to a lawsuit concerning pay and schedules.