Not an expert at all, but with doubles being 16 team entry with quite a few singles players at tour level also trying out their doubles form the odd week, you can't really guarantee DA until you're top50 - which is why pairs like the Ratiwatanas (just inside top 100x2) still need to drop down to challengers again to maintain their ranking as doubles is so competitive on the main tour. However, once you get a pairs ranking in the 100s you start to get a chance of DA to some ATPs - and you get a run at the grand slams too. Unless they have a great run at a main tour event to rack up loads of points, they'd still need to mix up high level challengers ie 100k and main tour for a while.

I checked the draw in LA for example to make sure I wasn't talking total **** and the last DA was a combined team ranking of 128.

-- Edited by MAC on Friday 31st of July 2009 08:48:11 PM