Novak Djokovic just made his first major move of 2026. He’s stepping away from the Professional Tennis Players Association, the group he helped create to shake up the sport’s old guard.

Back when he and Vasek Pospisil launched the PTPA, their big idea was simple: give players a real say in how tennis is run. But from day one, tennis’s governing bodies kept shutting the door in their faces, blocking their efforts at every turn. That’s been a huge frustration for Djokovic, who figured his reputation would help push through some real change.

One of the main things the PTPA pushed for was better prize money for lower-ranked players. Whenever critics accused him of just looking out for himself, Djokovic fired right back—he’s always made it clear the goal is to lift up everyone in the sport, not pad his own stats.

Last year, when the PTPA got into a legal fight with the game’s power brokers, even Djokovic seemed caught off guard. Things only got tenser from there, and now, after weeks of speculation, he’s made it official: he’s out.

“After careful consideration, I have decided to step away completely from the Professional Tennis Players Association,” Djokovic posted on X. “This decision comes after ongoing concerns regarding transparency, governance, and the way my voice and image have been represented. I’m proud of the vision Vasek and I had—giving players a stronger, independent voice—but my values just don’t line up with where the organization is heading now. I’m going to focus on my tennis, my family, and on giving back to the sport in a way that feels right to me. I wish everyone involved the best, but this chapter is closed for me.”

So yeah, Djokovic might be done with the PTPA, but he hasn’t lost his drive to change tennis. If anything, the fire’s still burning. Back in October at the Joy Forum in Saudi Arabia, he spoke straight from the heart about the challenges players face. He called tennis “a big monopoly” that’s been locked down for decades. That’s what pushed him and Pospisil to create the PTPA in the first place.

“Now we have the PTPA,” he said, “but we still don’t have a real seat at the table. That’s just how the system is. I’m always searching for ways to innovate. Thanks to my career, I’ve got a platform and a mic, so I can speak out—even if it ruffles a few feathers. Honestly, I don’t care. Tennis has given me everything, and I want to give something back. What can I do for the players? How can I help push for real change? Sure, a lot of people won’t like it, but I sleep well knowing I’m doing the right thing. My heart’s in the right place. The fire just keeps going. As long as you’re alive, you want to make the world better.”

Now, everyone’s watching to see what Djokovic does next. Will he keep pushing the sport’s leaders for change in his final playing years—and maybe beyond? One thing’s certain: with Djokovic gone, the PTPA loses its biggest star and its biggest threat to tennis’s old power structures. The authorities can breathe a little easier, at least for now.

Daniil Medvedev didn’t mince words when he talked about trying to catch up to Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. He knows exactly what makes those two stand out from the rest of the ATP Tour.

Right now, Alcaraz sits at the top of the ATP Rankings with 12,050 points. Sinner’s right behind him at 11,500. After that? There’s a huge drop. Zverev, in third, has just 5,110 points. It’s not even close.

Since Djokovic took the 2023 US Open, Alcaraz and Sinner have completely dominated the Grand Slams. They’ve split the last eight between them—four each. That’s two apiece in both 2024 and 2025.

Medvedev is 29 now. After Alcaraz and Sinner, he’s the youngest guy out there with a Grand Slam, thanks to his 2021 US Open win.

Before the Brisbane International, someone asked Daniil if he thought he could chase down Alcaraz and Sinner. He didn’t sugarcoat it.

“I think they’re just stronger than everyone,” he said. “I saw some stats—can’t remember the exact year, but Sinner was super young when he made the quarters at Roland Garros. He was already hitting harder from the baseline than anyone else, even Rafa. So, when someone hits harder than you, keeps every ball in, runs just as fast, and serves just as well—it’s tough to beat him.

“But you can try. When it comes to the consistency they showed last year, it’s almost impossible for anyone to get up to No. 2.

“But Slams matter most. They made three out of four finals last year. Still, you can always beat them in a single match.

“If you play them ten times, you probably won’t win much. But you can always get them once, and that’s the goal every time you face them.”

So, how does Medvedev stack up against these two? Against Sinner, he’s 7-8. Against Alcaraz, it’s 2-6.

He actually won his first six matches against Sinner, but since a loss in the 2023 China Open final, he’s only beaten the Italian once in their last nine meetings.

With Alcaraz, Medvedev split their first four matches, but since beating him in the 2023 US Open semis, Alcaraz has won all four of their meetings.

Medvedev hasn’t played Sinner since the 2024 ATP Finals, or Alcaraz since the 2024 China Open.