PTPA THREATENS DEFAMATION LAWSUIT AGAINST ANDY RODDICK'S PODCAST

The Professional Tennis Players Association has threatened a defamation lawsuit against Served, a podcast hosted by Andy Roddick, over reporting on the organisation. The PTPA hired Clare Locke, a defamation law firm, to send a letter to the podcast's attorney on January 7. In the letter, attorney Elizabeth Locke alleged that reporting by former Sports Illustrated journalist Tim Rohan had caused irreparable damage to the PTPA, its executive director Ahmad Nassar, and its financial backer Winners Alliance by spreading what the PTPA characterised as false claims about misconduct.

Locke's letter directly connected Rohan's reporting to Novak Djokovic's departure from the PTPA. Djokovic and Vasek Pospisil co-founded the PTPA in 2019 as an independent organisation intended to give players a collective voice on matters including scheduling, prize money, sponsorships and healthcare. In March 2025, the PTPA filed an antitrust lawsuit against tennis's governing bodies. Djokovic refused to serve as a plaintiff in that action and resigned from the PTPA in early January 2026, reportedly without informing those close to the organisation.

The letter from Locke stated that Served's refusal to provide the PTPA with an opportunity to comment on allegations constituted evidence of actual malice. The PTPA's legal threat has drawn public criticism, with some observers characterising the organisation's action as an attempt to suppress reporting. The podcast and the PTPA have not yet issued statements confirming whether legal proceedings will proceed.