The four-time Argentine champion joins the trailblazing American star on the PTPA’s diverse leadership group, focused on representing, protecting, and empowering players worldwide
Washington D.C., April 22, 2024 – The Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA), global advocates for women’s and men’s professional tennis players, announced today that Argentine standout Diego Schwartzman and five-time doubles champion American Taylor Townsend have joined its Executive Committee. Schwartzman and Townsend will contribute their diverse perspectives and experiences to the PTPA’s player-led leadership body, offering strategic guidance to advance the PTPA mission of protecting and enhancing player rights.
“I’m excited to collaborate with the PTPA to spearhead positive change and to serve as a voice for Latin American players and all of my fellow players,” said Schwartzman. “We’ve seen the significant improvements and opportunities created by players’ associations in other global sports, and tennis players deserve similar support, especially as we navigate what could be an unprecedented era of change for the sport. I strongly believe that our collective voice as players is more crucial than ever, and, like Taylor, I’m committed to representing and amplifying our unique experiences, opinions, ideas and needs through my new role.”
“I’ve been supportive of the PTPA since its inception and firmly believe in the necessity of an independent, players-only body dedicated to our best interests,” said Townsend. “This is a pivotal moment for tennis, and it’s essential for players to have a unified voice and seat at the table as our sport faces both opportunities and challenges. I’m fired up to join Diego on the PTPA Executive Committee and advocate on behalf of hundreds of players worldwide during this critical time.”
Both Schwartzman and Townsend will serve alongside last year’s returning members: Novak Djokovic, Hubert Hurkacz, Ons Jabeur, Bethanie Mattek-Sands, Vasek Pospisil, and Zheng Saisai. Together, these players will work closely with PTPA staff and advisors to engage players around the world and to steer the PTPA’s priorities and strategic initiatives.
“We’re honored to work with Taylor, Diego, and the rest of the PTPA Executive Committee as we continue our goal of ensuring player safety and well-being,” said Ahmad Nassar, Executive Director of the PTPA. “Our Executive Committee comprises some of the brightest minds and most influential voices in tennis. We’re humbled by the opportunity to collaborate with them and are confident they will influence our representation and empowerment of players across the globe.”
Schwartzman, currently ranked as the No. 142 men’s player in the world, debuted on the professional tour in 2010. He boasts four ATP singles titles, including victories at the 2016 Istanbul Open, 2018 Rio Open, 2019 Los Cabos Open, and 2021 Argentina Open. Achieving a career-high ranking of No. 8 in 2020, Schwartzman had a stellar season where he reached his first Masters 1000 final at the Italian Open, represented Argentina in the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics, and qualified for the ATP Finals. He also won the 2020 Golden Olimpia Award, given to Argentina’s top sportsperson of the year by the Association of Sports Journalists.
Townsend holds the current world No. 58 ranking in women’s singles and world No. 11 in doubles. The Chicago native has clinched five women’s doubles titles, soaring to a career-high ranking of No. 5 in 2023. Noteworthy victories include triumphs at the 2020 ASB Classic and 2023 Western & Southern Open. Townsend achieved a remarkable feat at the Adelaide International, securing the title three times consecutively between 2023 and 2024, each time with a different partner.
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About the Professional Tennis Players Association
The Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) is a global organization that unites and mobilizes tennis players to foster transparency and fairness in professional tennis. As an independent entity, the PTPA is dedicated to advancing and safeguarding the rights of professional men’s and women’s tennis players throughout their careers. By prioritizing crucial aspects such as health and safety, schedules, rules, purses, benefits, and education, the PTPA endeavors to build an equitable and sustainable competitive environment for present and future generations of players. Headquartered in the Washington, D.C. area, the PTPA operates on a global scale. For more information, visit www.ptpaplayers.com and connect with @ptpaplayers on social media.
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