Tennis stars threaten legal action over major changes to doubles tours

WIMBLEDON — Some of the world’s leading doubles players have threatened legal action over changes to the game that pose “an existential threat” to their livelihood.

Players felt forced to hit back over plans to reduce the number of places available to doubles players in the tournaments following Wimbledon.

A letter threatening legal action – signed by 49 players, including more than half of the world’s top 20 doubles players – was sent to the men’s professional tour earlier the week, i has learned.

The ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) subsequently withdrew plans to restrict entries to tournaments in Hamburg, Gstaad, Newport, Bastad and Kitzbuhel in July, but i understands that is only because the tour feels they did not give players sufficient notice.

The players still fear the reintroduction of entry restrictions later this year “may destroy the ability of a number of doubles players to continue to earn a living from their sport”.

“This unlawful deprivation of the opportunity to earn rankings points and prize money will have flow-on consequences throughout the year,” the players wrote.

“Moreover, a continuation of [the restrictions] throughout the year and beyond would present an existential threat to the entire game of doubles, inconsistent with the obligations owed by the ATP to its player members.

“We look forward to the removal of the new entry restrictions prior to the applicable tournament entry deadline for each of the tournaments.

“If the restrictions are not removed, the players concerned will explore their legal options.”

Players were not told of the proposals until 30 June, just two weeks before their introduction.

The ATP apologised for the delay in their communication to players, but were accused of a “cynical attempt to impose the [restrictions] in such a way that the players concerned are not in a position to adequately respond and so inadvertently acquiesce in the demise of the entire doubles competition”.

One top-50 player, who asked to remain anonymous, told i: “It’s a threat to the whole doubles ecosystem. They effectively want to cut jobs for doubles players.

“It’s all very well saying ‘it’s just a trial, it might never happen’, but would anyone be happy if their employer said they wanted to give them ‘a trial redundancy’?”

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The proposed restrictions are part of a series of trials within the game of doubles on the men’s tour, designed to reinvigorate the format. Previous trials were held at the Madrid Masters and then Queen’s earlier this summer, with two main goals: to speed up the game, and to encourage the entry of big-name singles players into the draw.

Despite the U-turn on entry restrictions, the ATP will still introduce rule change trials that limit gaps between points to 21 seconds, and sitdowns to just 40 seconds will once again be introduced at tournaments between Wimbledon and the Olympics to speed up the matches, while crowds will also be able to move in and out of the arena freely, instead of just at changeovers.

The dispute comes in a week when doubles are more in the limelight than ever after Andy Murray pulled out of the singles but revealed he would play in the men’s doubles with his brother Jamie, and the mixed doubles with Emma Raducanu. Jamie Murray, ranked No 25 in doubles, is understood not to have signed the letter to the tour.

The proposals are put forward by the ATP Rules Committee “in consultation with the ATP Doubles Committee”.

However, i understands that leading members of the doubles committee were not on board with the proposals to change entry regulations.