'Needs pathways to earn a living': Doubles players sign open letter to protest drastic reforms

(Getty/Li Riu)

More than 150 men's doubles players have urged the ATP Tour to reconsider recent drastic changes, which they believe could destroy the format.

The bold proposal from the ATP includes halving doubles draws at Masters 1000 events to 16 teams, with smaller tournaments cut to eight teams.

It will also reduce prize money for doubles players from 20 per cent to around 10 per cent, with the difference redistributed to singles players.

"The current plans would shift about $20m in prize money from doubles to singles, while cutting a significant number of professional opportunities for doubles specialists," the open letter read. "That shift would make it much harder for talented players to build and sustain a doubles career. A healthy professional sport cannot rely solely on a small group of top stars; it needs pathways for players to develop, compete and earn a living."

"The ATP must find a better balance between commercial interests and its responsibility to all professional players and the sport's integrity. "Instead of drastic cuts, we urge the ATP to protect meaningful doubles draws and viable professional career opportunities, while developing a serious long-term plan to promote doubles and make it more attractive to fans, broadcasters and sponsors."

Tennis Australia CEO Andrew Abdo spoke to The First Serve Live on Monday night, outlining his vision for the future of Australian tennis.

One of the players to share the letter on social media was Australia's Marc Polmans, adding his thoughts on Instagram. "The ATP exists to serve all of its members. Tennis is more than a business. It's a legacy built on joy, health and sportsmanship. A sport built on those values should open doors, not close them," wrote the doubles world No.23.

"We want to grow the sport together, without leaving players, careers, and livelihoods behind. We are united in our quest to strengthen professional doubles and continue its legacy. Respect its history, grow its present, and protect its future.

"Tennis is doubles, and doubles is tennis."

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2025 mixed doubles champion Sam Verbeek told The Guardian that the ATP has failed to communicate with doubles players about any changes that will impact them.

"The A to B with these proposals is really threatening not only the history, but also the present and future of the whole discipline of professional men’s doubles," he said.

"The livelihoods of a lot of players are at stake here, and not only that, I think also the dreams of any young player that wants to pursue a doubles career are really in big jeopardy.

"I think that one of the big reasons that we have so much support for this open letter is to really provide the ATP with a platform to get in touch with us and make this more of a collaboration rather than a one-sided review that they keep saying is ongoing. But any real data and real numbers and real requests that we have have not been answered so far. And I think that’s why a lot of active players are so frustrated with this, because we have a lot of ideas."

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