Djokovic calls for players’ strike

NOVAK DJOKOVIC has urged the ATP Tour players to boycott the Australian Open next year in order to get more prize money out of the Grand Slam tournaments.

The ex- world No1, who has banked nearly £ 80million in prize money in his 13- year career, took charge of the mandatory players’ meeting on the eve of the Open.

Ordering all non- players and ATP offi cials from the room, he then set out his plan to form a separate players’ union and for that union to strike next January. His belief is that labour laws in Australia would make it easier to organise a strike in Melbourne than in Europe or the USA.

His argument is that, according to his fi gures, the Grand Slam tournaments give only seven per cent of their revenue to the players .

At the moment, the ATP board is split 50- 50 between representatives of the tournaments and of the players. Djokovic, then, feels that the views of the players have no independent voice to fi ght their corner.

Andy Murray, who, like Djokovic, is on the Player Council, is believed to support Djokovic’s proposals for a trade union and attended the meeting.

But Kevin Anderson, another Council member, did not sound so enthusiastic. “It was a discussion, nothing more than that,” said Anderson. “From a player council standpoint I feel like the last few years we have done a good job.

“There are still things we want to improve on. The biggest case is making tennis as attractive as possible for as many players, not just the top guys .” MONEY TALKS: Djokovic says Grand Slams should pay players more