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Lambda_ · Intermediate Club Player

RE: Doubles - ATP reforms to downgrade the importance of doubles

Pierrot · Club Coach

Lambda_ wrote:
You'd think given that men's doubles is our biggest success story in recent year's the LTA wouldn't be supportive of it's downgrade.

Turkeys ... Christmas confuse

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

I don't have a problem with a 90:10 split, with the extra money going to help the singles players lower down who are struggling

emmsie69 · Grand Slam Champion

Coup Droit wrote:
I don't have a problem with a 90:10 split, with the extra money going to help the singles players lower down who are struggling

Because the 80% they already get isn't enough to do that. And I'd be surprised of those lower down the rankings benefit too mcuh from it.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

emmsie69 wrote:
Coup Droit wrote:
I don't have a problem with a 90:10 split, with the extra money going to help the singles players lower down who are struggling
Because the 80% they already get isn't enough to do that. And I'd be surprised of those lower down the rankings benefit too mcuh from it.

Yes, because it's not enough, a lot struggle lower down

And they'll benefit by 10% (or nearly)

Two sides to everything, of course, not everyone has to agree, but I'm happy with the proposed changes

indiana · Tennis legend

I do see the point ( if not neccessarily agreeing ) re lower down singies players, but the top singles players have no need whatsoever to largely benefit from the proposed changes. And sadly I think that is the top singles players that some proposers are more focussed on.

emmsie69 · Grand Slam Champion

Most of it is going to the top singles players in the form of an increased bonus pool for masters and 500s.

Edited for spelling due to walking and commenting

-- Edited by emmsie69 on Tuesday 27th of October 2026 11:55:14 AM

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

emmsie69 wrote:
Most of it is going to the top singles players in the form of an increased bonus pool for masters and 500s.

Edited for spelling due to walking and commenting

-- Edited by emmsie69 on Tuesday 27th of October 2026 11:55:14 AM

If you believe Gaudenzi, it's going to the lower level:

Gaudenzi wrote that doubles would continue to be a core part of the ATP Tour.

The review is focused on identifying a model that gives the discipline a sustainable long-term future, works effectively for tournaments and fans and supports the wider player pathway.

Importantly, any reallocated prize money would remain dedicated to player compensation and is expected to be reinvested into singles qualifying and early rounds. We are discussing the review directly with the Player Advisory Council, so players views help shape the final model.

However, it seems to me that if viewer interest is not 80:20 then neither should compensation be. The argument that doubles players will not be able to pursue their expected careers is obviously not convincing (chimney sweeps etc). As to it being a founding part of all tennis, well, the same could be said (and more so) for juniors - why noy pay them? And the fact that most club players play doubles is irrelevant if that's not reflected in viewer interest (we watch Formula 1, not Southampton High Street driving, even if we only do the latter)

emmsie69 · Grand Slam Champion

I've looked. The pool for masters and 500s is increasing from 21 million to 50 million. The pool for lower levels is going to be 25 million which is going to be atleast partly funded by reducing the doubles draws by half and using that money to increase prize money for lower level singles players. With a reduced doubles draw fewer stand a lone doubles players will get in unless entry requirements are ring fenced to doubles ranking only. Sorry but Doubles is f*****

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Just to be clear though, increase in pool for masters and 500s and 1000s is not being funded by doubles - that's part of the One Visions profit sharing scheme that is being introduced, since 2022

www.atptour.com/en/news/one-vision-profit-sharing-september-2026

JonH · Tennis legend

emmsie69 wrote:
I've looked. The pool for masters and 500s is increasing from 21 million to 50 million. The pool for lower levels is going to be 25 million which is going to be atleast partly funded by reducing the doubles draws by half and using that money to increase prize money for lower level singles players. With a reduced doubles draw fewer stand a lone doubles players will get in unless entry requirements are ring fenced to doubles ranking only. Sorry but Doubles is f*****

And what proportion of that reduced field will still be taken up by singles ranking entry players, diluting the doubles players "volume" further.

As a standalone career, doubles will become very threatened. Could it have the impact (with less rounds in each event) of pulling singles players into the doubles field and overtime making a larger proportion of overall doubles fields singles players, more like the old days?

Just musing