A federal judge in New York has ruled that an antitrust lawsuit against the ATP and WTA Tours and three Grand Slam tournaments can proceed. Judge Margaret Garnett denied motions to dismiss filed by the tours and the organizers of Wimbledon and the French and U.S. Opens on Thursday, according to Yahoo! Sports.
What is the lawsuit alleging?
The case alleges a conspiracy between the ATP, WTA, and Grand Slam organizers to deprive players and fans of the full benefits of competition. The lawsuit, filed in 2025 by a group of 15 current and former players and the Professional Tennis Players' Association, contends that the defendants have created interlocking structures that suppress competition for professional tennis players' services and lock athletes into a system detrimental to their bodies and earnings.
Why does the judge's ruling matter?
Judge Garnett found the claims plausible enough to survive the initial stage of litigation. In assessing a motion to dismiss, a judge must assume that allegations in the lawsuit are true; the fact that the judge did not dismiss the case signals the lawsuit meets a threshold of legal viability. The judge also rejected motions to move the case to arbitration and to dismiss it on jurisdictional grounds.
What is the USTA's response?
The United States Tennis Association, which organizes the U.S. Open, said it would review the court's order and intends to "vigorously defend" itself. In a statement, the USTA stated it has "consistently operated in the best interests of the players and the sport" and noted it reinvests U.S. Open revenue into prize money, facilities, and grassroots programming.
Tennis Australia, which organizes the Australian Open, was removed as a defendant at the end of 2025. The tennis anti-doping authorities and World Tennis were removed from the case in the fall of 2025.
Sources
- Yahoo! Sports: Tennis antitrust lawsuit continues: Judge denies ATP, WTA and Grand Slam motions to dismiss. Published 2026-10-01.
Reported from public sources.