Navratilova believes that working on the association could distract the Serb from his goal of adding further to his legacy. She also claimed that launching a player’s association just as the tour resumed amid the COVID-19 pandemic was not the right move.
In August this year, just two days before the start of the US Open, Novak Djokovic and Pospisil - along with 60 odd ATP players - announced the creation of the PTPA. The move was widely criticized by the governing bodies of tennis as well as by Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and other members of the ATP Player Council who did not sign up for the association.
Although Novak Djokovic won the Western & Southern Open and the Italian Open after the tour resumed, he failed to add to his Grand Slam tally. Djokovic suffered a fourth round exit via a default at the US Open, and lost to Rafael Nadal in the final of the French Open.
In an interview with The Irish Times, Navratilova stated that Djokovic should conserve his energies towards his on-court achievements now and perhaps take up the cause of the player association after he has retired.
Launching the PTPA during COVID times not the right move by Novak Djokovic: Martina Navratilova
Navratilova also believes that the timing of the launch by Novak Djokovic, Vasek Pospisil and the others was not ideal. According to the 18-time Slam champion, the tennis world needs to remain united in the middle of a global crisis rather than create more divisions.
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