Doubles?

Shhh · Challenger level

Doubles?

freerider · Futures level

might be a good idea for goodal and eaton, neither seem to be able to reach their singles potential

SMC1809 · All-time great

It might be a good idea for both as I fear they have already reached their singles potential!

RJA · Hall of fame

SMC1809 wrote:

It might be a good idea for both as I fear they have already reached their singles potential!

If you mean their singles peak I regretably agree. Both do have, or at least did have, potential top go further.

spud · Challenger qualifying

Shhh wrote:

From the mini interview They gave on LTA website last week, Josh Goodall said that he and Chris Eaton would be entering challenger tournaments (after next weeks German futures) as a doubles team and trying to come through qualies in singles. I am not sure how serious they meant this but, it could be the start of another fully fleged doubles team. Good idea or bad one?

I am sure most here would want to see players persue their singles career as long as possible but, the impoverished life it can be when top 100 success hasn't come must surely tire as you start working your way through your twenties. Doubles may only pay about 1/4 the prize money but, at ATP level thats more than 100% of the singles money at futures. There is the chance to play at higher level tournaments, perhaps the masters events and slams, mixing with better players, with the hospitality........or remain on cheap flights to the back and beyond flogging away at singles where it just hasn't happened yet.

"If" they have choosen to go a doubles route, and I may well have jumped the gun there, I'd certainly say good luck to them (though I for one haven't given up on either achieving singles success either!). It has got me thinking of what other players could/should go that way.

There are a fair few in the mens game now compared to recent years but in the ladies only Sarah Borwell has made that move. For her I think most would agree it has worked out career level wise. In the ladies game you only count your 11 best tournaments and with the way the points work in the ladies game, it seems easier to hold a top 100 position for a specialist.....and therefore a path into the slams etc. I have always thought that Mel South could achieve much more down this route than singles with her game for example?????

Err i think you have mis interpreted the interview. Goodall says that he will go onto play challenger quals in the singles and play the dubs- thats what his rankings in both singles and doubles let him do at the moment.

They also say they are keen to play a bit more together and maybe look towards wimbledon, but there is nothing that says they will become just doubles specialists and im sure Chris is still keen to keep going with singles.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Sometimes I have just have NO idea what this man is talking about - in fact, I dont' think that HE has any idea what he is talking about....

Chris Goldsmith @TheTennisTalker 1h1 hour ago

Doubles players making up WTA and ATP qualifying draws... Just for a pay cheque let's be honest. They are not interested

indiana · Tennis legend

From his reputation ( I have only seen a few tweets of his a long time ago ) that looks a fairly sane viewpoint, if debatable. I am sure plenty nominally doubles players enter WTA / ATP singles qualifying ( even main draws for these with decent singles rankings? - although they would in general rather less need the cheque ) with very little real singles aspirations.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

You may be right, Indy - the bloke has been driving me mad in the past few weeks with daft/stubborn/faintly sexist tweets (so don't look, CD, yes, I know.....)

But it seems to me that singles entry is done on singles ranking.
So if you have the appropriate singles ranking that means you must, by definition, have been interested enough to play sufficient singles matches.
(It's not like the singles players who play GS doubles because they get in on singles rankings and barely know what a doubles court looks like)
Not to mention that all the ATP challengers, for instance, don't pay anything anything in qualifying.

Of course, some get wildcards (which was also a point that Goldsmith was making, but separately). But that's up to the tournament - you can't blame the player for that.

indiana · Tennis legend

Yes, talking main draw ( but that was me ) was a bad example, because clearly they are then very capable singles players ( I think I was half confused in my mind with the singles players playing doubles on singles rankings, I am not quite awake yet - don't ask ) but aren't some qualifying draws literally made up with very lowly ranked singles players, players who really turned up to play just doubles but then opportunity opens up. But then again better to have a full doubles qualifying draw of the best singles ranked players available.

So actually on balance, probably really more nonsense, if slightly understandable nonsense.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Yes, I think he was meaning qualis, more than main draw. And it's true, there are sometimes some really lowly ranked players taking part. But if the singles players don't want to play, and the true doubles guys end up taking their slot, I don't see what Goldsmith's complaint it.
But, maybe I'll just chill and ignore him......it would be wise advice.....

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Just doubles in general, and I realise it's hardly anything revolutionary, but I note that the top twenty doubles players are aged:

36 - 38 - 39 - 44 - 32 - 40 - 33 - 35 - 30 - 29 - 38 - 34 - 39 - 40 - 33 - 41 - 32 - 36 - 36 - 40

I knew they were old - but not THAT old

9vicman · Satellite level

Coup Droit wrote:
Just doubles in general, and I realise it's hardly anything revolutionary, but I note that the top twenty doubles players are aged:

36 - 38 - 39 - 44 - 32 - 40 - 33 - 35 - 30 - 29 - 38 - 34 - 39 - 40 - 33 - 41 - 32 - 36 - 36 - 40

I knew they were old - but not THAT old

Some of the GB doubles players are almost children in comparison.

Madadman · Masters Series Champion

Not sure which thread this was talked about on but the change of entry for doubles to favour singles players for half the draw is starting to get interesting. Top 20 doubles players threatening legal action inews.co.uk/sport/tennis/players-rebel-tennis-tour-threat-game-3150394