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Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer

Roger Federer denies Novak Djokovic PTPA argument: ‘We have not even spoken for two months…’


Roger Federer has dismissed talk of a rift with Novak Djokovic, insisting they have not clashed over the new Players’ Association.

Djokovic has been a controversial figure in tennis in 2020. His Adria Tour was criticised for a lack of safety precautions after a coronavirus outbreak, and he was then defaulted from the US Open.

Amid all that, Djokovic helped set up a new breakaway Players’ union, the Professional Tennis Players’ Association (PTPA), which Federer publicly opposed on social media leading to reports of an argument between them.

Federer, though, says that is not the case, and in fact he hasn’t even spoken to Djokovic at all for some time.

When asked by Schweizer Illustrierte when he last spoke to Djokovic, Federer said: “About two months ago.

“But it was only about how and when it starts again in tennis and how the coronavirus measures can be implemented at the tournaments.

“We’re both on the tour’s ten-member council. There is a lot at stake, [such as] the survival of tournaments and the survival of professionals who keep their expenses.”


Michael Graham, Tennishead.net Editor, has been a professional sports journalist for his whole career and is especially passionate about tennis. He's been the Editor of Tennishead.net for over 5 years and loves watching live tennis by visiting as many tournaments as possible. Michael specialises in writing in-depth features about the ATP & WTA tours.