Novak Djokovic is making a major career change, but don’t worry, the tennis star isn’t walking away from the sport.
“After careful consideration, I have decided to step away from the Professional Tennis Players Association completely,” Djokovic, 38, announced. via X on Sunday, January 4.
The 24 times Grand Slam champion explained: “This decision comes after ongoing concerns about transparency, governance and the way my voice and image have been portrayed.”
Djokovic noted that it is “proud of the vision” he and Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) co-founder Vasek Pospisil shared when they founded the organization in 2021.
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He recalled that he wanted to give the players “a stronger and more independent voice”, stating that over time this vision has changed.
“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 worried that Djokovic’s statement meant the end of his playing career, he assured his fans that this was not the case.
“I will continue to focus on my tennis, my family and contributing to the sport in a way that reflects my principles and integrity.” concluded Djokovic. “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 departure from the organization on Sunday Us Weekly in a statement, “The players created the PTPA to ensure a stronger and more transparent voice in professional tennis. The PTPA is player-governed and operates on open communication, collaborative decisions and regular engagement. We always welcome the opportunity to address issues with any player and are 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 the target of a coordinated campaign of defamation and witness intimidation by spreading inaccurate and misleading narratives designed to discredit this type of work, the PTPA and its federal staff. The harassment inappropriate 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 by non-player third parties will not distract us from our mission: to seek meaningful reforms for all players.”
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Djokovic’s step back comes five years after he and Pospisil, 35, officially co-founded the “non-profit” corporation in Canada in 2021.
The couple, who are both professional tennis playersrealized in 2019 that the players’ association founded in 1972 had become an “anti-competitive” organization that no longer protected its players, according to the PTPA official websitewhich caused the new join version.
The PTPA was formed to advocate for all players “at all levels, free of all conflicts of interest, so all players can focus on what they do best: train, compete and win, without worry,” according to the website.
Djokovic’s departure from the PTPA comes nearly a 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 sports integrity agency of “systemic abuse, anti-competitive practices and a blatant disregard for players.” ESPN informed (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 ESPN as his reason for not attaching his name to the suit.
According to the lawsuit, the PTPA believes players should be able to access more earnings with each win, noting that the higher-ups who run the four Grand Slam tournaments: US Openthe French Open and Australian Open, and other events “taint prize money and limit players’ ability to earn money off the court,” the outlet reported.
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When it comes to Djokovic’s careerrecently told reporters and fans after his ATP Tour victory in Athens, Greece in late November 2025 that he has no retirement date in mind.
“I want to continue. The LA 2028 Olympic Games they’re kind of a guiding star, but honestly, there’s no limit. So, let’s see. You know what I mean?” he said at the time according to Tennis.com. “Let’s move on. I love to hit the tennis ball and I love to compete.”
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. It’s a beautiful job.”