The players' union co-founded by Novak Djokovic has begun legal action against tennis' governing bodies, citing "anti-competitive practices and a blatant disregard for player welfare".
The Professional Tennis Players' Association (PTPA) has filed papers at the United States District Court in New York, where it is seeking a jury trial.
The 163-page lawsuit, which has been seen by BBC Sport, says "professional tennis players are stuck in a rigged game" which gives them "limited control over their own careers and brands".
It criticises the schedule, ranking systems and control over image rights.
The complaint is being brought by the PTPA and 12 players - including Djokovic's co-founder Vasek Pospisil and Nick Kyrgios. The PTPA says it is acting "on behalf of the entire player population".
Formed in 2020, the PTPA wants to increase the power of the players, and reduce the control of the governing bodies.
The ATP Tour, the men's professional body, said it "strongly rejects the premise of the PTPA's claims", declaring the case to be "entirely without merit" and promising to "vigorously defend" its position.
In a statement,, external it accused the PTPA of having "consistently chosen division and distraction through misinformation over progress" and said the ATP "remains committed to working in the best interests of the game".
The WTA, which runs the women's tour, also said it will defend its position and said in a statement the legal action is "both regrettable and misguided".
It added: "Contesting this baseless legal case will divert time, attention, and resources from our core mission to the detriment of our players and the sport as a whole."
The lawsuit seeks an end to "monopolistic control" of the tennis tour, as well as financial compensation from the ATP, the WTA, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA).
The organisation has also started legal proceedings in the UK and the EU to end what it considers the "unchecked authority of the sport's governing bodies".
"Tennis is broken," said Ahmad Nassar, the executive director of the PTPA, who told the BBC in October the organisation would have no qualms about going down this route.
"Behind the glamorous veneer that the defendants promote, players are trapped in an unfair system that exploits their talent, suppresses their earnings, and jeopardises their health and safety.
"We have exhausted all options for reform through dialogue, and the governing bodies have left us no choice but to seek accountability through the courts.
"Fixing these systemic failures isn't about disrupting tennis - it's about saving it for the generations of players and fans to come."
The ITIA said it noted the proposed legal action, adding it is "proud" of its "role in contributing to a clean and fair sport".
The ITF, describing itself as the "global guardian of the game", said it would "take the appropriate time to consider [its] response".
BBC