Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and other members of the ATP Player Council spoke out Saturday against a plan put forth by top-ranked Novak Djokovic and Vasek Pospisil to start a men's-only union of sorts for tennis -- bringing the sport�s politics into the spotlight just before the U.S. Open.

Also against the proposal: the ATP men�s tour and the sport�s other governing bodies, including the WTA women�s tour and the four Grand Slam tournaments. They issued a joint statement Saturday saying: �It is a time for even greater collaboration, not division.�
After a meeting Saturday night, Pospisil tweeted out a picture showing a group of male players � wearing masks because of the pandemic � standing on a U.S. Open court and wrote that �we are excited to announce the beginning of the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA)."

The association � Djokovic said it was not a union, although the distinction wasn't entirely clear � �did not emerge to be combative, to disrupt, or to cause any issues within or outside the tennis tour. Simply to unify the players, have our voices heard & have an impact on decisions being made that (affect) our lives & livelihoods,� Pospisil wrote.

In an email sent to players earlier in the week, Djokovic and Pospisil they would be the initial co-presidents of the group, which would also be led by up to nine trustees � all players.