A lawsuit filed against the Professional Tennis Players Association alleges that executives and the organisation's principal funder have mismanaged the players' group and breached fiduciary duties. The plaintiffs—the PTPA itself, Saisai Zheng, and Marco Trungelliti—are suing Ahmad Nassar, Vasek Pospisil, Bethanie Mattek-Sands, Hubert Hurkacz, Ons Jabeur, Winners Alliance, and Romain Rosenberg.
What are the core allegations?
The lawsuit claims that Winners Alliance, backed in part by financier Bill Ackman, has failed to deliver on economic promises to the PTPA. According to the complaint, Winners Alliance agreed to fund the PTPA at a minimum of $3 million annually but diverted more than $25 million into an unrelated track-and-field venture called Grand Slam Track, which is currently in Chapter 11 bankruptcy, while also pursuing rights in cricket and international basketball. The plaintiffs argue that Winners Alliance neglected to maximise PTPA rights as a result.
Who is accused of what?
Ahmad Nassar, the former executive director, is charged with violating his fiduciary duty to the PTPA due to his simultaneous executive role with Winners Alliance. Vasek Pospisil, the PTPA co-founder, is accused of accepting payments from Winners Alliance that compromised his role with the players' group. The plaintiffs also allege that Nassar led an illegal board that ousted employees investigating his conduct. Romain Rosenberg's status is disputed: defendants describe him as the current executive director, while plaintiffs claim he was fired for verbal abuse of a PTPA employee.
Why does this matter now?
The lawsuit emerged as Wimbledon's main draw began, highlighting internal turmoil within the players' association at a major tournament. The dispute reflects broader tensions over how the PTPA's resources and governance have been managed since Winners Alliance became its principal funder in 2023.
Sources
- Front Office Sports: Pro Tennis Rocked by Explosive Lawsuit Over Internal Power Struggle. Published 2026-06-28.
- Yahoo Sports: Pro Tennis Rocked By Explosive Lawsuit Over Internal Power Struggle. Published 2026-06-28.
Reported from public sources.