Doubles players sign open letter pleading with tennis chiefs to ‘protect’ format

• Plans to slash games by half and prize money criticised

• ‘Hard for players to build and sustain a doubles career’

More than 150 doubles players on the men’s ATP tour have signed an open letter addressed to the ATP board and management imploring the men’s tennis governing bodies to reconsider its controversial doubles reforms and “protect” the doubles format in professional tennis.

The subject of potential reforms to the ATP have been a significant issue since players were informed in a meeting during Wimbledon that the ATP was conducting a review of its doubles regulations and potential changes could see doubles draws being halved at the ATP events in 2028. Under these proposals, ATP Masters 1000 events would host only 16 doubles teams and the main draws at ATP 500 and 250 events would accommodate only eight teams.

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