An internal ATP strategic plan shared with stakeholders in early September "unveils a vision to more closely align the interests of all tournaments and players through four pillars, including a more stable prize-money formula and aggregated tournament media and data rights under the tour’s direct control," according to Bret McCormick of SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL. The ATP's dissemination of the 92-page document "came shortly after the Professional Tennis Players Association -- a players-focused group led by Novak Djokovic that threatens to upend the tour's 30-year-old structure -- announced its formation." The need for unity and greater alignment of interests within the sport is "addressed 22 times in the first 68 pages (containing the actual plan) of the ATP document." ATP Chair Andrea Gaudenzi said, "In no way is it related to the PTPA timing." Gaudenzi, who said that he was hired "based on an eight-slide version of the strategy and that a 20- to 25-page edition was shared with players and tournaments at the 2020 Australian Open, wanted the plan negotiated and approved by the end of this year but said the timing of next steps is uncertain" (SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL, 10/5 issue).
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