Doubles players urge ATP to rethink plans they warn would 'destroy careers'
On Monday more than 150 men's doubles players, including British world number one Henry Patten and the Bryan brothers, sent an open letter to the ATP Tour urging it to abandon proposals they say would "destroy careers", ahead of a board vote at next month's ATP Finals in Turin.
The contest is over planned reforms that would halve doubles draws at Masters 1000 events to 16 teams, reduce smaller tournaments to eight teams and cut the percentage of prize money allotted to doubles from 20% to 10%, with the difference redistributed to singles players; the reforms form part of a wider review the ATP says is designed to "strengthen" the tour from 2028 and to create "a more sustainable long-term model" while wanting to "maintain the important role" of doubles.
On Monday a group comprising 137 current players, 28 legends and 20 national federations added their signatures to the open letter as a show of collective opposition to the proposals the players describe as "drastic" and career-threatening.
The ATP has framed the changes as data-led, citing costs, revenue and viewership, and argues that with fewer singles players now competing in doubles the current size of standalone doubles events places a "severe strain on tournaments".
Players counter that the tour should promote doubles more to attract audiences, noting the format is the version of tennis played by most club members and therefore more relatable; the players' letter states: "Commercial success matters. Fairness, player welfare and the long-term health of tennis matter just as much" and adds, "Let us grow tennis together, without leaving doubles players behind."
The proposal provoked a strong reaction when revealed in July, with British pair Lloyd Glasspool and Julian Cash — who won Wimbledon in 2025 and became world number ones — accusing the ATP of trying to "kill part of the sport"; reigning Wimbledon champion Patten recently told BBC Sport the players were facing "an uphill battle", but remained "optimistic" the tour would consider counter-proposals after several meetings since Wimbledon, including at the Shanghai Masters.
Mike and Bob Bryan have backed the group's consideration of legal action to protect doubles, recalling that in 2005 they led players in a lawsuit against the ATP when it planned radical changes to doubles; Bob Bryan told BBC Sport in an interview at Wimbledon in July: "The tour's in the healthiest financial state it's ever been - in our opinion it should be creating more opportunities," while Mike Bryan said: "These proposed changes are anti-competitive. That's the stance we had to take in 2005. We still believe in doubles and we believe in the players fighting for this."
The tour's board — chaired by Andrea Gaudenzi and composed of four tournament representatives and four player representatives — will vote on the proposed reforms at the ATP Finals in Turin next month, with the changes slated to take effect from 2028.
