Human Rights Concerns in Professional Tennis

Unlike other sports whose international manifestation is subject to the governance of a single entity or/and regional governance entities, such as FIFA, UEFA and the IOC, this is not the case with professional tennis. Several private organizations dominate the professional tennis landscape, chiefly the International Tennis Federation (ITF), the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA). Besides organizing the three major events (Grand Slam, Davis Cup and Olympic tennis tournament) and several less publicized ones, the ITF is the mother of all national tennis federations, all of which are dependent on it for admission into its tournament calendars and organization of national team events. While national and subnational federations may organize their own tournaments, if these are not part of the ITF tours and hence do not generate ATP/WTA ranking points, it is unlikely that any top names will ever agree to take part, particularly since the ITF/ATP/WTA calendar is already loaded with tournaments. The ATP, which is organized as a non-profit entity, is the governing body of only some men’s professional circuits, namely the ATP Tour, the ATP Challenger Tour and the ATP Champions Tour. The ATP is governed by a Board of Directors, consisting of tournament members, player members and a Chairman/President. “The relationship between the ATP, ITF, WTA and national tournaments can be characterized as both synergetic and contentious. The ITF organizes the four Grand Slams, and on behalf of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) it also administers the Davis Cup and the Olympic tennis tournament.” The organization of the women’s game is the domain of an entity that is distinct from that of the men’s game. The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), founded in 1973, governs the WTA Tour, but not the Grand Slam, the Davis Cup, or the Olympic tennis tournament, all of which are organized in the same manner as the men’s game by the ITF. In all other respects, the WTA and ATP are similar in nature, functions, and organization.