The ATP stars, Vasek Pospisil and Novak Djokovic, previously established the controversial Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) in order to have a unified voice and representation in the tennis community. It was formed with the objective of addressing the certain needs of both the ATP and WTA players that have been neglected by the existing tennis associations.
Since its inception, a slew of prominent figures in the tennis realm have become members of the Djokovic-led PTPA. The list also includes tennis superstars, Naomi Osaka and Nick Kyrgios, who are a part of the membership due to a major ‘NBA’ reason. It was recently brought to light by their business agent, Stuart Duguid, as he revealed the noble inspiration that drove Osaka and Kyrgios to become a part of the association.
The prominent tennis agent reveals why Naomi Osaka and Nick Kyrgios joined the PTPA
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The Founder of EVOLVE talent agency, who has ties with prominent players in the tennis circuit, recently sat down for a conversation with the Novak Djokovic-led association. In his interview with the PTPA, Stuart Duguid talked about the importance of the relationship between an athlete and their respective sports association.
Meanwhile, he was also asked about the reason why tennis superstars, Naomi Osaka and Nick Kyrgios, became a part of the PTPA. In his answer, Duguid revealed that they drew inspiration from a different sporting community, NBA.
He said, “Those two (Naomi Osaka and Nick Kyrgios) always look to the NBA to kind of see what they’re doing, like not just on the court, but also off the court. They always get it right and they always think one step ahead and we’ve got close friends in the NBA who are tied up with their players association. So we had conversations with them to learn more, how we can bring that into tennis.”
Duguid also stated that Osaka and Kyrgios also want to support the lower-ranked players in the tennis circuit. He added, “And I think for Naomi and Nick, the incentive is really to give back. I think they want to make a difference for masses and for players further down the rankings that perhaps need support more than the others.”
Apart from Osaka and Kyrgios, he talked about another prominent player who joined the PTPA.
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Duguid also revealed why Ons Jabeur became a part of the PTPA
In his interview with the PTPA, the tennis agent revealed that the Tunisian tennis player joined the controversial association with the primary objective of eradicating gender inequalities in the sport. Duguid lauded Ons Jabeur for getting involved in such noble off-court endeavors for other WTA players. Apart from this, the 28-year-old tennis star also wants to contribute to the betterment of the sport for the next generation of players.
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What do you think of players like Osaka, Jabeur, and Kyrgios becoming members of the PTPA? Let us know in the comments section.
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