Lleyton Hewitt plans to go ahead with a lawsuit against the ATP unless the organisation issues a public apology and admits wrongdoing in levying a fine against him, his agent said on Thursday.
"Every time we sought and presented the ATP with an opportunity to make a cooperative, productive, positive choice in this entire saga, they made the wrong one," Octagon's Tom Ross said.
"Hence we are at the stage we are in. Everyone gets a black eye. I'd love to see them deal with the matter honestly, but I'm not expecting much."
However, the governing body for men's tennis said it is not running scared from Hewitt's threat of legal action if they do not waive the $20,000 fine an appeals committee imposed on the Australian for failing to show for an interview with host broadcaster ESPN at last year's Tennis Masters Series in Cincinnati.
"As far as we're concerned, the matter is resolved," ATP vice-president of communications Matthew Rapp said.
"We feel that the matter has been comprehensively addressed, the process has been followed and as far as we're concerned, is concluded."
The ATP found Hewitt in violation of its STARS Program and as a result, Hewitt
was automatically fined one-half of the prize-money he earned in Cincinnati, or
$105,650, subject to his right to appeal the finding of a violation and the amount of the penalty.
Hewitt appealed and, after a two-day evidentiary hearing in February, a three-member appeals committee confirmed the violation but reduced the amount to $20,000.
HEWITT RESPONDS
Lawyers acting for Hewitt have said that they would file the $1.5 million suit in the South Australian Supreme Court in June unless the matter could be resolved.
The 22-year-old Hewitt alleges the ATP breached its contract with him, defamed him and claims the body "intentionally