Novak Djokovic is on a mission that’s about more than just winning. As he competes for his 24th Grand Slam title, Djokovic is trying to make life better for lesser-known players, those who aren’t at the very top of the rankings and often struggle to make a living. However, his move has had a stumbling block from the beginning; the absence of big names who could attract fans.

“We’re really trying to build an independent and self-sustaining players association that can really be here for the next 50 years,” he explained. Djokovic’s determination to help others shines through, and it’s a mission that’s bigger than any individual achievement in tennis. But it is equally difficult without the support of top players like Nadal and Federer.

The Roger Federer-Rafael Nadal problem: “They feel they have a lot to lose”

Djokovic helped create the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA), and they claim to have brought in over 250 players since January. Some notable players, like John Isner and Ons Jabeur, are part of its executive committee. Djokovic is now planning to talk to his main rival, Carlos Alcaraz, about supporting the PTPA.

“I haven’t done it with Carlos yet, but I’ve been planning to,” Djokovic disclosed with a smile. “We’ve been facing each other too much on the court, and we haven’t had a chance to relax a little bit. We did have a funny little talk after the finals of Cincinnati, and we’re going to play a golf round together, eventually.”

Running the PTPA takes up a significant part of Djokovic’s life. It involves recruiting new members, attending meetings, and making plans. However, convincing top players, like Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, and Andy Murray, to support the PTPA has been a tough task.

“[With] the top players, it’s toughest because you can imagine there are more layers to go through to get to them than any other lower-ranked player,” Djokovic explained. “They feel they have a lot to lose, which is really what we’ve been trying to explain—that’s not the case. The players really have more to gain.”

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Despite the Serb’s best efforts, it doesn’t look like his fellow rivals will be joining his association anytime soon. However, that hasn’t deterred ‘The Djoker’. In fact, it has only motivated him to do more.

“Want to see a change,” Novak Djokovic on a noble mission

Djokovic wants to make it clear that his efforts are not about making more money for himself. He’s already earned a lot, over $510 million before taxes, and has the highest prize money in the ATP at $172 million. Djokovic’s focus is on the players who struggle to make ends meet; especially those who can’t afford to travel with a coach.

“That’s not the case,” Djokovic asserts. “I’m fine for this life and many other lives. We all definitely want to see a change at the base level because the 150th player on the planet struggles and often has to travel without a coach. People don’t realize how expensive this sport is,” as reported by Forbes.

As Djokovic continues his journey to tennis greatness, he remains determined to make the lives of all players better, regardless of their ranking.

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