Andy Murray explains why he won’t join new PTPA, saying they missed a trick by not including women

ATP Tour

Shahida Jacobs
August 30, 2020

Three-time Grand Slam winner Andy Murray has confirmed he won’t be joining the new player association -not yet anyway – saying the breakaway group missed a trick by not including women’s players.

A bombshell was dropped at Flushing Meadows on Saturday when world No 1 Novak Djokovic, Canadian Vasek Pospisil and American John Isner announced a new players association for men.

The three were due to resign from their roles on the ATP Player Council Board, but insisted the newly formed Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) can co-exist alongside the council.

“This is player association,” Djokovic said. “So we are not calling for boycotts. We are not forming parallel tours.”

However, tennis’ two elder statesmen Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal immediately voiced their opposition to the new players association, saying it is time for unity.

‘It is time for unity,’ says Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer in response to Novak Djokovic-led PTPA breakaway

Former world No 1 Murray has also confirmed that he is not onboard with the new PTPA and explained why.

“I won’t be signing it today. I’m not totally against a player union, player association, but right now there’s a couple of things,” he said.

“One is I feel like the current management that are in place should be given some time to implement their vision. Whether that works out or not would potentially influence me in the future as to which way I would go.

“Also the fact that the women aren’t part of it, I feel like that would send a significantly – well, just a much more powerful message personally if the WTA were onboard with it, as well. That’s not currently the case.”

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Andy Murray