The Professional Tennis Players’ Association (PTPA) is close to reaching a settlement with Tennis Australia in a lawsuit challenging several major tennis governing bodies, the organisation’s legal team confirmed on Wednesday.

The PTPA filed a class-action suit in March, accusing the ATP, WTA, International Tennis Federation and International Tennis Integrity Agency of engaging in anti-competitive behaviour and failing to prioritise player welfare.

In September, organisers of all four Grand Slam tournaments were added to the expanding case.

The ATP has previously dismissed the claims as entirely without merit and vowed to defend itself vigorously, while the WTA labelled the lawsuit “baseless.”

In a letter submitted to the United States Southern District Court in New York on Wednesday, lawyers representing the PTPA — co-founded in 2020 by Novak Djokovic and Vasek Pospisil — said discussions with Australian Open organisers had recently made significant progress.

“Plaintiffs and Tennis Australia are engaged in substantive and productive bilateral settlement discussions and believe that a settlement … is likely in the near future,” the filing stated.

As a result, both parties requested that the court pause all proceedings and deadlines related specifically to Tennis Australia while they finalise the terms of their agreement.

The request, the letter emphasised, applies only to Tennis Australia and not to the other defendants in the lawsuit.

Tennis Australia, meanwhile, continues preparations for the Australian Open, which begins January 18 in Melbourne and will open the Grand Slam calendar for the new season.