Doubles players sign open letter pleading with tennis chiefs to ‘protect’ format

More than 150 doubles players on the men’s ATP tour have signed an open letter addressed to the ATP board and management imploring the men’s tennis governing bodies to reconsider controversial doubles reforms and “protect” the format in professional tennis.

The subject of potential reforms to the ATP has been a significant issue since players were informed in a meeting during Wimbledon that the ATP was conducting a review of its doubles regulations and potential changes could see doubles draws being halved at the ATP events in 2028. Under these proposals, ATP Masters 1000 events would host only 16 doubles teams and the main draws at ATP 500 and 250 events would accommodate only eight teams.

The proposals could also lead to the total prize money distributed to doubles players being halved from 20% to 10%, with the remaining money allocated towards singles players. The news provoked significant criticism from a large group of doubles players at Wimbledon, and they have spent subsequent months organising to resist the reforms. In addition to more than 150 active players, the letter has been signed by more than 20 national federations and legends of the sport.

In the open letter, the players state: “The current plans would shift about $20m (£15m) in prize money from doubles to singles, while cutting a significant number of professional opportunities for doubles specialists. That shift would make it much harder for talented players to build and sustain a doubles career. A healthy professional sport cannot rely solely on a small group of top stars; it needs pathways for players to develop, compete and earn a living.”