A global players' advocacy group co-founded by Novak Djokovic is close to settling with Tennis Australia in its case accusing some governing bodies of being a "cartel" that underpays and imposes an unsustainable schedule.

The Professional Tennis Players' Association (PTPA) filed a class-action lawsuit in March saying the ATP, WTA, International Tennis Federation and International Tennis Integrity Agency had indulged in anti-competitive practices and showed disregard for player welfare.

Organisers of the four Grand Slam events, including the Australian Open, were added to the case in September.

The men's ATP Tour has previously said it believed the case was without merit while the women's WTA Tour defended its record of growing women's tennis and said the lawsuit was "baseless".

On Wedn

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