Tennis star claims ATP 'threatened' him after signing PTPA lawsuit
Reilly Opelka has alleged that an ATP Player Council member warned him after he signed the PTPA's lawsuit.
Reilly Opelka has claimed that he received threats from the ATP after putting his name on a lawsuit filed by the Professional Tennis Players Association. Last month, the PTPA took legal action against the ATP, WTA, ITF and ITIA, branding the bodies a “cartel” and accusing them of anti-competitive practices.
The American world No. 105 was one of 12 players who put his name on the lawsuit that was filed in New York. He has now alleged that a member of the ATP Player Council warned him of the consequences if he didn’t remove his name.
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The PTPA has filed a motion to gag the ATP from discussing the lawsuit with players, which was heard in a Manhattan federal courtroom on Friday.
According to Front Office Sports, Opelka testified that ATP Tour chairman Andrea Gaudenzi sent a player to remind him of the repercussions of signing the suit.
The 27-year-old appeared on call from Barcelona ahead of his participation in next week’s ATP 500 event in the Spanish city.
The ATP denied his allegations and, during the hearing, the tour objected that his account was “hearsay”. Judge Margaret Garnett overruled the ATP’s lawyers.
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A former world No. 17 Opelka testified that a member of the Player Council approached him in the Miami Open locker room on March 18 and sat on an exercise bike next to one he was using.
The American alleged that the player in question said Gaudenzi told him to warn Opelka that signing the lawsuit would result in losing his pension and being hit with legal fees.
Opelka did not name the player for fear that they would be punished by the ATP. He also claimed that he spoke to this player on two more occasions.
As part of ATP bylaws, members who sue the tour and lose must pay its legal fees. One of the tour’s board members, Luben not deny the bylaw.
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Pampoulov said Opelka’s account was untrue and testified that he was in the meeting room, denying that Gaudenzi gave the instructions. He claimed the ATP chairman let staff discuss the lawsuit instead.
After the PTPA filed their lawsuit on March 18, Pampoulov said he asked players at the Miami Open to sign a statement denying their support for the case. But he claims the ATP stopped circulating the letter when the PTPA filed a gag motion.
Judge Garnett gave both sides a week to file new briefs on the PTPA’s motion to gag the ATP. She is set to rule shortly after. The case is in early stages and an initial reply from the defendants is not due until May 20.
