NEW YORK, May 14, 2026 — The Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) has filed an emergency motion before Judge Garnett in the Southern District of New York after the Fédération Française de Tennis (FFT), which operates the French Open, and the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC), which operates Wimbledon, denied the organization media credentials for the 2026 tournaments based on the PTPA’s ongoing antitrust lawsuit against the governing bodies of professional tennis.
The denials come amid ongoing litigation in which the PTPA has alleged systemic anticompetitive conduct within professional tennis. Last year, Judge Garnett also issued an order prohibiting retaliatory conduct against plaintiffs involved in the case.
The credential requests were denied in writing by both organizations, which explicitly cited the ongoing antitrust litigation as the basis for their decisions.
Before filing the emergency motion, the PTPA provided both the FFT and AELTC an opportunity to reconsider their decisions and offered to engage in productive discussions aimed at finding a path toward resolving the ongoing lawsuit. Those requests were denied.
Official Statement from the PTPA:
“A few weeks ago, the PTPA applied for credentials for the 2026 French Open and Wimbledon tournaments through the same process it has followed for years. The FFT and AELTC responded around the same time and, in writing, denied our credentials explicitly based on the ongoing antitrust lawsuit. It is notable that two organizations facing collusion allegations have responded with decisions that appear coordinated when they have otherwise asserted that they operate independently.
Not only do we believe their decision constitutes illegal retaliation against plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit, but it also prevents our organization from interacting with and supporting players during one of the most important stretches of the season. The FFT’s and AELTC’s actions are also inconsistent with Judge Garnett’s order from last year prohibiting another defendant from retaliating against other plaintiffs. This kind of behavior must stop. For those reasons, the PTPA filed an emergency motion before Judge Garnett in New York to defend our right to access professional tournaments where we carry out our duties on behalf of players.
It is also worth noting that, before filing our motion, we gave both the FFT and AELTC an opportunity to reconsider their decision. That request was denied, as was our offer to engage in productive discussions aimed at finding a path to resolving the ongoing lawsuit.
Players deserve support, advocacy, and representation at the sport’s biggest events, not retaliation. We will continue doing everything in our power to protect players and carry out the work we were created to do.”
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About the PTPA
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. PTPA operates on a global scale. For more information, visit www.ptpaplayers.com and connect with @ptpaplayers on social media.