ATP doubles open letter: players and federations urge tour to drop cuts

More than 150 players and tennis legends, backed by 20 national tennis federations, have published an open letter to the ATP board urging the tour to withdraw plans to halve doubles draw sizes and move $20m (about £15m) in prize money from doubles to singles, The Times reports.

Signatories include British Wimbledon champions Henry Patten and Julian Cash, and former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash, the paper says. The letter warns the proposals threaten the “health and legacy” of professional and recreational tennis. Britain’s governing body, the LTA, has not signed it.

The Times understands that a player strike has not been discussed, and that the ATP is due to make crunch decisions in the next four weeks. Julian Cash told the paper: “We are going to fight to protect the legacy and future of our sport, no matter what it takes.”

The proposals, presented in July, would cut doubles’ share of total prize money from 20 per cent to 10 per cent from 2028, with Masters 1000 doubles draws shrinking from 32 pairs to 16. The letter argues that changes of this scale without broad support risk undermining confidence in the ATP’s leadership, and urges the tour to protect “meaningful doubles draws and viable professional career opportunities”.

The ATP has previously cited falling doubles fan engagement and ticket and broadcast figures leaning towards singles, The Times reports. The proposals remain subject to further consultation and approval, according to the Associated Press.

Sources: https://www.thetimes.com/sport/tennis/article/champions-and-federations-fight-atp-plans-to-cut-doubles-events-pgq3t9b2j ; https://www.thescore.com/atp/news/3625034/atp-proposes-changes-designed-to-reduce-overplaying-after-injuries-to-alcaraz-sinner