Andy Murray: Not against a Player Union but won't be signing it right now

Former World No. 1 Andy Murray is the latest significant name to say that he will not be joining the new Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) for now.

The three-time Grand Slam champion said that while he is not against a player's union, he feels that the current management should be given more time and that he would have preferred if the women players were also part of any union.

Murray is known to be a big supporter for equal rights in the past as well. He is the latest big name in men's tennis to express reservations about the new union after Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal also said they are not in favour of such a union at this point.

Both Federer and Nadal are not in New York currently for the US Open. Federer is recovering from a knee injury and has said he will not play again this season.

Nadal has decided not to travel to the United States for the hardcourt events due to concerns around the global health crisis.

Andy Murray says he won't be committing to the PTPA for now

According to The Guardian, Murray says, "I won't be signing it today."

"I'm not totally against a player union, or players' association, but right now there's a couple of things: one is I feel like the current management 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 [the new plans]. I feel like that would send a significantly much more powerful message, if the WTA were on board as well. That's not currently the case.

If those things changed in the future, it's something that I would certainly consider."

The new union is being led by World No. 1 Novak Djokovic, who has been president of the ATP player council since 2016, and Canadian player Vasek Pospisil. Both of them along with American John Isner have resigned from their positions on the ATP Plyaer Council.

The ATP Tour Player Council has also sent a note out to the players, detailing their reservations about the new union.

Andy Murray will be playing the US Open Grand Slam event which is the first time he will be playing the singles draw in a major since the Australian Open in 2019.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/32K7myd