Doubles players condemn ATP Tour's plan to cut prize money
ATP Tour's 2028 cost-cutting push threatens to erase doubles specialists' incomes and shrink the format for good.
ATP Tour's 2028 cost-cutting push threatens to erase doubles specialists' incomes and shrink the format for good.
ATP Tour’s 2028 blueprint to shrink tournament sizes and slash prize money has triggered a revolt among doubles specialists, who say the cuts could erase their livelihoods and gut the format. The plan targets smaller events first, with 250-level tournaments bearing the brunt—prize pots for doubles at these stops are slated to drop by up to 40% starting in 2026, according to internal ATP documents reviewed by *Sportopod*. By 2028, the tour aims to reduce the number of doubles draws at 250s from 32 to 16 teams, effectively cutting roster spots in half and squeezing out part-time players who rely on these events to supplement singles careers.
The proposed prize-money cuts hit deeper than the headline numbers. At the 2024 Geneva Open—a typical 250-level event—doubles prize money totaled $58,000. Under the new model, that pool would shrink to roughly $35,000 in 2026, a figure that would barely cover travel and coaching costs for lower-ranked teams.
’ The cuts also threaten the Challenger Tour, where doubles specialists often cut their teeth; ATP plans to halve doubles draws there, from 32 to 16 teams, starting in 2025. Reaction has been swift and scathing. The ATP Doubles Players Council, led by Mike Bryan and Daniel Nestor, issued a statement calling the plan ‘a death knell for doubles’ and vowed to explore legal and union-style actions if the tour proceeds.
1 Austin Krajicek, who tweeted: ‘This isn’t just about money. ’ The ATP’s own data shows that 70% of active doubles players earn less than $100,000 annually, with the majority relying on a patchwork of 250-level and Challenger events to break even. The ATP’s internal calculus assumes that fans buy tickets solely for singles stars, a dangerous gamble for 250-level events that lack the marquee power of Masters 1000s.
By slashing doubles, these tournaments risk alienating the die-hard local fanbases that value the intimacy and access of early-week sessions. It’s a race to the bottom: smaller events become less attractive to sponsors without a full slate of matches, potentially leading to even fewer tournaments on the calendar. The tour is effectively cannibalizing its own infrastructure to prop up the top tier, ignoring that a healthy ecosystem requires a robust base, not just a shiny peak.
This restructuring also ignores the symbiotic relationship between singles and doubles. Many current top singles stars have used doubles to refine their return games and net play during tournaments. By disincentivizing doubles participation through financial penalties, the ATP removes a crucial developmental tool.
The tour risks creating a generation of one-dimensional players who view doubles as a financial liability rather than a strategic asset. This myopia weakens the overall competitive standard of men's tennis, turning the sport into a monotonous baseline grind that lacks the tactical variety required to capture new audiences. The ATP’s financial logic reeks of a short-sighted consolidation play that prioritizes the top 1% of singles stars over the tour's working class.
By framing doubles as a "cost driver" rather than a unique product, the tour ignores the reality that these smaller events rely on doubles matches to fill early-round schedules and engage local crowds. This isn't just accounting; it's a strategic pivot toward a superstar economy where mid-tier events become glorified qualifying grounds for the elite, stripping the tour of its depth and turning the ATP into a top-heavy circuit that only cares about the top 50. Strangling the Challenger Tour and 250-level draws effectively dismantles the sport's farm system, threatening to homogenize playing styles across the board.
Historically, doubles has served as the finishing school for volleying, net instincts, and tactical nuance—skills that bleed into singles success and make matches watchable. If the entry-level economy collapses, the next generation won't bother learning the craft, leading to a future where tennis is dominated solely by baseline grinding. The ATP isn't just cutting checks; it's actively pruning the sport's DNA, risking a future where the only doubles played are exhibition hits for retirees.
What’s next: The ATP’s board will vote on the proposal at the ATP Finals in November. If approved, the phased cuts begin in 2025, with full implementation by 2028. Doubles advocates are pushing for a carve-out—either protected prize pools or a separate ranking system—to shield lower-ranked teams.
But the tour’s financial rationale is locked: it cites ‘unsustainable losses’ in smaller events, with doubles divisions cited as primary cost drivers. The standoff sets up a potential showdown that could redefine who plays doubles—and whether the format survives at all. Read at ESPN
If ATP’s plan goes through, doubles tennis faces a stark choice: adapt to a shrinking ecosystem or risk extinction as a viable career path. The cuts threaten to dismantle the pipeline that feeds future stars, erode fan engagement in a format already sidelined by TV broadcasts, and reshape tennis’s competitive balance. Without doubles specialists filling stadiums and inspiring amateur players, the sport’s DNA—built on variety and accessibility—could calcify into a singles-dominated spectacle, leaving a gaping hole in its cultural and competitive fabric.
ESPNespn.comJul 3, 11:48 AMen
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