MELBOURNE, Australia — On the eve of the Australian Open two weeks ago, Novak Djokovic, the president of the ATP player council, addressed more than 100 players to outline his vision for a better future for his constituents. His ideas reportedly included a new association to represent players’ interests in a more forceful, independent capacity that could recoup a greater share of profits from tournaments.
After the closed-door meeting dispersed, the word that echoed out from the room was “unionization,” and a possible restructuring of the ATP World Tour, which currently represents both men’s players and tournaments.