'You're taking our jobs' - doubles players angry at proposed cuts
· Yahoo Sports
Doubles players are angry at the ATP Tour for proposing cuts that they feel would "take their jobs away", say Wimbledon champions Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool.
In a meeting at Wimbledon on Tuesday, the ATP proposed changes which could include halving the size of doubles draws from 2028.
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British pair Cash and Glasspool are part of a group of leading doubles players who have accused the men's tour of trying to "end doubles as a viable profession".
"It's annoying we have to deal with or even think about things like this during Wimbledon," Glasspool said.
"I'm not sure what they're hoping to achieve out of it."
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Why are the cuts being proposed?
The proposals would mean only 16 teams competing at ATP 1000 events and eight at the smaller tournaments on the men's tour.
The percentage of prize money devoted to doubles players could fall from 20% to 10% - with the money redistributed to singles players.
There are concerns the current size of doubles events puts greater strain on player facilities at tournaments.
"We understand where we are in the sport but I don't think we should be devalued," said British former world number one Neal Skupski.
"Some people don't appreciate how much effort we put in day in, day out to this sport.
"It's not like we just turn up to tournaments, have a giggle and go on to the next tournament."
At the first Masters 1000 event of the year in Indian Wells, Jannik Sinner received $1.151m (£860,000) for winning the title. Guido Andreozzi and Manuel Guinard took home $234,000 (£175,000) each for their doubles triumph.
The players argue the changes mean there would be no future for doubles players ranked outside the world's top 30.
The ATP outlined their plans in a players' meeting at the All England Club, where Italy's Andrea Vavassori and El Salvador's Marcelo Arevalo represented the doubles players.
"It is just a proposal, of course," said two-time French Open champion Arevalo.
"But it should be a time to give more opportunities to tennis players rather than giving them away."
An ATP spokesperson said: "We are assessing the doubles product, draw sizes and player compensation distribution with the aim of creating a more sustainable long-term model while maintaining doubles' important role on the tour."
What do the players want?
Many within the sport believe a 20% share for doubles players is disproportionate to the interest in the event.
As reigning Australian Open champion Skupski says, the doubles events on the ATP Tour are rarely watched by packed stadiums.
Singles undoubtedly remains the big draw for fans either watching on site or following from further afield.
But the doubles players believe the governing body should do more to promote their discipline and attract greater interest.
"We're all members of the ATP, we all pay membership and the reason it was set up was to protect players," said Cash.
"It's not to try and kill parts of the sport."
The doubles players believe the rich history of their discipline - which was introduced at Wimbledon in 1884 - deserves more respect, while pointing out it is format most club players play and is therefore more relatable.
Cash and Glasspool, who are jointly ranked sixth in the world, think the product needs to be marketed better, particularly on social media platforms.
"They say it is a product issue but when singles players - who are known and have been marketed - step on the doubles court it is a packed crowd," said 32-year-old Glasspool.
"So it's not a product issue is it? If you know the players then you will watch them in singles or doubles."
What happens next?
Neal Skupski (right) won the Wimbledon men's doubles title in 2023 alongside Wesley Koolhof of the Netherlands [Getty Images]World number five Skupski said a lot of the players' anger stems from the lack of consultation before the proposal was put forward.
The 36-year-old called for the ATP to be "more open", but did not think any form of protest would help their cause.
Glasspool claimed the governing body does not want to sit down with the group to discuss the issue.
"They just say nothing valuable comes out of it because you guys are angry," he said.
"We're like 'we are angry because you're taking our jobs away - what do you want us to do?'
"We've worked hard for 20 years to be in this position."
Cash and Glasspool are hoping leading names can speak out to apply pressure on the ATP Tour and prevent the proposed cutbacks.
"I think the timing of the proposals is smart. They know the top players are going to help us but they are least likely to do it during a Slam because everyone is focused on the biggest tournaments," Glasspool said.
Cash added: "I think Rafa [Nadal] and Roger [Federer] stepped in when there was a similar situation in about 2011 and that was the end of the discussions."
In terms of the women's game, BBC Sport has been told by WTA Tour sources that the women's governing body has no plans to change their doubles events.