"Why are we even playing doubles?"

[Kieran]

John McEnroe posed the question, a slightly hyperbolic query, but still, a good point being made in the article is that doubles is being played by guys who aren't good enough at singles.

However, it isn't a criteria of being a great doubles player that you should also be great or very good at singles. Still, I take on board what Mac's old mucker Peter Fleming says about attempts to call the Bryan Bros the GOATs of doubles, based upon their modern record. Of course, nowadays everyone wants what's happening nowadays to be the GOATest, but leaving that aside, what's your take on doubles?

Do you watch much?

Do you rate it highly?

I haven't watched a doubles match with any great interest in years. Used to play it only when there weren't enough courts, or to practice volleys. Occasionally it's on BBC at Wimbledon as a late evening novelty thingy. Sometimes mixed doubles was cute, before the brutes began acing the cuties...

 

[brokenshoelace]

My belief is that if the top guys actually had time to practice doubles seriously, and place emphasis on it, you wouldn't see the so-called "doubles specialists" do as well.

 

[Front242]

My belief is that if the top guys actually had time to practice doubles seriously, and place emphasis on it, you wouldn't see the so-called "doubles specialists" do as well.

Definitely agree with this. Last doubles match I watched and enjoyed was when Frederik Nielsen and Jonathan Marray won the Wimbledon doubles against Robert Lindstedt and Horia Tecău in 2012 and the preceding match where they beat the Bryans. Quite an achievement considering they got in as wildcards and won the title. Besides that I haven't been interested in doubles for years.

Aside from doubles being played only by the guys who are pretty much no good at singles there comes the practically aspect these days: the game has become so physical in singles that no singles player who consistently plays both singles and doubles will be able to go deep in tournaments all year long. They'll simply burn out and become either too physically drained or get injured, with injuries mostly coming at times when you're most fatigued and push yourself too much.

The physicality of singles essentially killed modern day doubles and left it to guys who mostly play nothing but doubles. If Federer, Nadal, Djokovic and Murray all frequently played doubles they wouldn't have anywhere near the number of slams they currently do.

 

[Tennis Miller]

Right now, the only doubles match I would think of watching is Davis Cup, where it really matters.

I grew up in the era of Stan Smith/Bob Lutz, Newk and Roche, and there were marquee singles players in doubles. Really enjoyed it. Mac was the last great singles player to play doubles regularly, wasn't he?

Cheers

TM



Cheer

 

[Kieran]

Edberg! I think Stefan played doubles regularly, though Britbox can confirm this...

 

[britbox]

Edberg! I think Stefan played doubles regularly, though Britbox can confirm this...

Yes he did - he was the last guy to be ranked #1 in singles and doubles at the same time and alsowon 3 doubles majors.

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

When I was waiting for the Wawrinka-Bird match at the Us Open this year, I ended up watching Paes-Stepanek beat Qureshi-Rojer. I had a lot of fun. I hate playing doubles so I don't , but I don't mind watching a good team play. Of course it is always a challenge to find tv coverage in the slams where singles gets priority, and rightfully so, but it would be nice to catch some doubles action. I do agree with Broken though, with his assessment upstairs.

 

[Moxie]

My belief is that if the top guys actually had time to practice doubles seriously, and place emphasis on it, you wouldn't see the so-called "doubles specialists" do as well.

Definitely agree with this. Last doubles match I watched and enjoyed was when Frederik Nielsen and Jonathan Marray won the Wimbledon doubles against Robert Lindstedt and Horia Tecău in 2012 and the preceding match where they beat the Bryans. Quite an achievement considering they got in as wildcards and won the title. Besides that I haven't been interested in doubles for years.

Aside from doubles being played only by the guys who are pretty much no good at singles there comes the practically aspect these days: the game has become so physical in singles that no singles player who consistently plays both singles and doubles will be able to go deep in tournaments all year long. They'll simply burn out and become either too physically drained or get injured, with injuries mostly coming at times when you're most fatigued and push yourself too much.

The physicality of singles essentially killed modern day doubles and left it to guys who mostly play nothing but doubles. If Federer, Nadal, Djokovic and Murray all frequently played doubles they wouldn't have anywhere near the number of slams they currently do.

I noticed something watching the YEC, with Verdasco/Marrero, who eventually won. This is a bit anecdotal, but Verdasco (who was as high as #7 as a singles player,) really shone. He has played a fair amount of doubles, but Granollers/Lopez was the higher ranked Spanish doubles team, for example, and Verdasco/Marrero beat the Bryans in the final. It did seem that the guy who had been the best in singles, of all of them, played better than even the more tried-and-true doubles teams, with a solid doubles partner, (that most of us had never even heard of.)

It's a controversial question, and I'm not in favor of dumping doubles, but I take the point of the OP. Doubles has become increasingly the second-class citizen of tennis. However, I would make these arguments in favor of it: it's faster, and fun to watch; it's a good place for singles players to hone their net skills, on occasion; it's a way for older stars to stay in the game and make it exciting; and it feeds the talent pool: if younger/up-and-coming players have additional possibilities of a pay-day at a given tournament, they can make enough money to stay in the game as they're trying to come up.

 

[brokenshoelace]

Edberg! I think Stefan played doubles regularly, though Britbox can confirm this...

Yes he did - he was the last guy to be ranked #1 in singles and doubles at the same time and alsowon 3 doubles majors.

Weak doubles competition.

 

[Tennis Miller]

Edberg! I think Stefan played doubles regularly, though Britbox can confirm this...

Yes, you're right. Thanks. My ignorance shows how much doubles I watched after the 80s!

 

[Moxie]

So, have we answered the question? Doubles thumbs up or thumbs down?

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Doubles has its own legitimate place in Tennis.

However, as already noted by many in this thread, top singles player no longer can/will
play in doubles as the game has become lot more physical. If they do play in doubles
with committment and seriousness, they will certainly do lot better than doubles
specialists (but it will cut into their productive singles carreer and so they would not).

So, all this means is that the "greatness" of the current doubles specialists
should be taken with a grain of salt. It does not mean, we should abolish doubles.

Further, it justifies the paltry prize money that the doubles players get in
comparison to the singles players.

My verdict: Salted Thumbs Up to Doubles

 

[DarthFed]

I wouldn't be so quick to say the great singles players of today would automatically make great doubles players if they practiced it more. Baseline play, movement, endurance, etc. count for a whole lot less in doubles.

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

I wouldn't be so quick to say the great singles players of today would automatically make great doubles players if they practiced it more. Baseline play, movement, endurance, etc. count for a whole lot less in doubles.

There is truth to this...Take Novak. I am not comfortable with his volley and his overhead as my doubles partner as of now, no matter how good he is everywhere else on the court. His retrieving skills mean not a whole lot to me when I am trying to take the net and finish the point with quick hands.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

I did not mean that every singles player will be good enough to beat top doubles
player in doubles. I meant there are enough top singles players who will be good enough
to beat top doubles players.

example: Fed and Wawrinka getting Olympic gold medal with minimal practice
in doubles and also with minimal practice playing as a pair. Also recall that along
the way they beat Bryan Brothers and Indian Express (Bhupathi and Peas).

The point I was trying to make is that current top doubles pair (made of
doubles specialists) will no longer be top doubles pair if singles player also
play in doubles.

 

[DarthFed]

I did not mean that every singles player will be good enough to beat top doubles
player in doubles. I meant there are enough top singles players who will be good enough
to beat top doubles players.

example: Fed and Wawrinka getting Olympic gold medal with minimal practice
in doubles and also with minimal practice playing as a pair. Also recall that along
the way they beat Bryan Brothers and Indian Express (Bhupathi and Peas).

The point I was trying to make is that current top doubles pair (made of
doubles specialists) will no longer be top doubles pair if singles player also
play in doubles.

Yes but that was one tournament. I think Roger has had plenty of doubles losses in Davis Cup and MS events and he would figure to be the top singles player most likely to succeed in doubles right away.

 

[DarthFed]

I wouldn't be so quick to say the great singles players of today would automatically make great doubles players if they practiced it more. Baseline play, movement, endurance, etc. count for a whole lot less in doubles.

There is truth to this...Take Novak. I am not comfortable with his volley and his overhead as my doubles partner as of now, no matter how good he is everywhere else on the court. His retrieving skills mean not a whole lot to me when I am trying to take the net and finish the point with quick hands.

I am not comfortable with his overhead if I'm a spectator in the stands :laydownlaughing

 

[Kieran]

I think if top players were motivated by doubles they'd be winning doubles slams. Often they go into doubles events to sharpen their volleys, go a few rounds, novelty pairings, but they don't care. I think if they did care, they'd be winners there too...

 

[Fiero425]

I think if top players were motivated by doubles they'd be winning doubles slams. Often they go into doubles events to sharpen their volleys, go a few rounds, novelty pairings, but they don't care. I think if they did care, they'd be winners there too...

It's hard to blame most top players for skipping doubles play! They work so hard in the singles' event; esp. at the majors playing best of 5! Federer might if not for his age, but they've been talking about this a lot in tennis news! I think they even devoted a segment in a TCC program; "winning all 3 events at a major!" BTW, Martina Navratilova was the last one to do it; accomplishing it at least twice! The last time she did it was at '87 USO! I had to wait until the Tennis Magazine ranking and record book came out in feb. '86 to find out she did it at the inaugural event of the Lipton Championships of '85 in Miami! Everyone attended except Connors and McEnroe; upset about the equal prize money was reported to be their reason!

 

[Kieran]

I think if top players were motivated by doubles they'd be winning doubles slams. Often they go into doubles events to sharpen their volleys, go a few rounds, novelty pairings, but they don't care. I think if they did care, they'd be winners there too...

It's hard to blame most top players for skipping doubles play! They work so hard in the singles' event; esp. at the majors playing best of 5! Federer might if not for his age, but they've been talking about this a lot in tennis news! I think they even devoted a segment in a TCC program; "winning all 3 events at a major!" BTW, Martina Navratilova was the last one to do it; accomplishing it at least twice! The last time she did it was at '87 USO! I had to wait until the Tennis Magazine ranking and record book came out in feb. '86 to find out she did it at the inaugural event of the Lipton Championships of '85 in Miami! Everyone attended except Connors and McEnroe; upset about the equal prize money was reported to be their reason!

That's true, buddy. The top players nowadays don't have time to be messing about in the tramlines. Borgie started the trend and it's only increased as the years went by. I always felt that Pete should have tried a few doubles slams, though. He might have snagged a few Wimbos and US Opens, but he was always a career-centred guy and his career was centred on the big W and the #1...