Why has the mens doubles tour been *******ized?

What is the reason they have not only gone to a super tiebreaker in lieu of a 3rd set, but why have they also gone to non add scoring? To me, it destroys any chance to compare today's teams with past greats, not to mention that the current format will not always have the better team winning.

Also, how long has the no ad scoring been going on since I just noticed it during the Sony Ericsson. When the receiving team announced which side the serving team should serve to, I almost fell out of my chair.

Where have you been the past few years? Been much discussed. Reason cited is to give television and tournament directors a more accurate timing for the length of matches. With the current format, most doubles matches last between an hour and fifteen minutes to an hour and a half. Hasn't resulted in more television exposure, but has surely helped scheduling.

Personally, I hate it and won't play USTA if they go to that format. For the summer seniors league, they went with the 10-point tiebreak instead of a third set, but that's for the hot summer league only. Still ad scoring at least.

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Other oft cited reason is with "short" matches, it was hoped that more singles players would play doubles. The results of that are mixed. Some do, some don't, some only once in awhile.

simi said:

Where have you been the past few years?

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Have all the changes happened that long ago? I don't remember reading about it during the slams, or are they exempt from it. For that matter, is it optional for certain tournaments, or is it mandated for all ATP matches?

Although for various reasons mentioned about as well as a commentator saying it's more exciting for fans this way. I think it's a great let down. I don't like watching doubles matches this way, it's seems too haphazard, almost unrhythmic to me.

OP, you are out of touch, man. The present rules are a compromise between the more drastic ones proposed initially and the lawsuit filed by the Bryans. TDs wanted to basically get rid of doubles as it makes no money and has to be "carried" by singles.

I remember speaking to an ATP Tournament Director prior to the changes in the doubles rules and he hated the idea that he was mandated to provide a doubles draw and allocate a certain % of the tournament's total prize money to doubles when they were usually the least attended matches and the top players did not play. The tournaments depend on making money not only from ticket sales but from concessions. During a typical night session at an ATP event there would be a featured singles match followed by a doubles match. More than 1/2 the crowd would leave after the singles match finished meaning less concession sales. This Director would have rathered done away with the doubles and have a larger singles draw or more prize money in the singles to attract more marquee singles players. And he was not alone, many other TD's felt the same--which is why the changes came about. Let's face it, with very few exceptions most of the so-called 'doubles specialists' are just players not good enough to make it in singles. Most fans who attend a tournament do so based on who is in the singles draw, not who is in the doubles draw. The changes in the doubles have kept the pro doubles game from extinction. Since the rules changes more of top singles players like Federer, Nadal, Roddick, etc, have competed in doubles. And let's face it again, fans would rather see Federer and anyone play against Nadal and anyone or Roddick and anyone than see doubles specialists who's names they don't recongize. I'd wager most fans would have a very difficult time naming the top 5 ranked doubles teams in the world. With the new rules the duration of doubles matches is more predictable so now often doubles matches are played before the featured singles matches during night sessions which means more fans are attending doubles matches than before. Again, had it not been for the new rules the pro doubles game might be gone. With the success of the new rules in the ATP the WTA has since adopted the new rules as well. The Grand Slams, which are governed by the ITF and not the ATP or WTA still play regular scoring in doubles. I can tell you that many of the doubles specialists are very content with the new rules. They are able to play for the same prize money by spending less time on court.

Since when did television executives decide the rules of tennis? When did tournament directors always striving to annually increase the almighty dollar determine the rules of tennis? Doubles have been around long before both TV coverage and the money grubbing mentality of tourney directors.

I always make it a point to watch doubles at tourneys, and there are always fans in the stands. Just because doubles currently does not have the "star power" that singles does not mean the game should be altered to the point of it being a joke rather than representative of the actual game.

Eviscerator said:

Since when did television executives decide the rules of tennis? When did tournament directors always striving to annually increase the almighty dollar determine the rules of tennis? Doubles have been around long before both TV coverage and the money grubbing mentality of tourney directors.

I always make it a point to watch doubles at tourneys, and there are always fans in the stands. Just because doubles currently does not have the "star power" that singles does not mean the game should be altered to the point of it being a joke rather than representative of the actual game.

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Agreed! This rule change in doubles is beyond stupid and makes me sick. I hope they are not idotic enough to consider something similar in singles.

gj011 said:

Agreed! This rule change in doubles is beyond stupid and makes me sick. I hope they are not idotic enough to consider something similar in singles.

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Highly doubtful for singles. One thing we need to do...us 'grass roots' players...is that if they try to force that dumbass scoring system on USTA leagues...is, we need to resist to the utmost! Well, that is if you don't like the rule change.

Eviscerator said:

Since when did television executives decide the rules of tennis? When did tournament directors always striving to annually increase the almighty dollar determine the rules of tennis?

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Since tennis became a professional sport.

The goal of amateur sport is to maintain the sanctity of the competition, and to determine, through the spirit of fair play, which competitor(s) is (are) the best.

The goal of professional sport is to make as much money as possible.

Doubles is a drain on pro tennis, and it's only a matter of time before it's axed altogether. And it can't come soon enough. Dreadful pseudo-tennis played by has-beens and never-weres.

The fans don't care, the good players clearly don't care, and the tournament directors and sponsors want it gone. Only a small handful of fans and the doubles players themselves want it to survive.

I think the domino effect of the collapse of pro doubles will be amusing. Lots of pro athletes suddenly have to settle for club pro jobs, and lots of current club "pros," who are legitimately no better than 5.0 or 5.5 hacks, will have to flip burgers because they have no other skillsets. LOL.

Grimjack said:

Since tennis became a professional sport.

The goal of amateur sport is to maintain the sanctity of the competition, and to determine, through the spirit of fair play, which competitor(s) is (are) the best.

The goal of professional sport is to make as much money as possible.

Doubles is a drain on pro tennis, and it's only a matter of time before it's axed altogether. And it can't come soon enough. Dreadful pseudo-tennis played by has-beens and never-weres.

The fans don't care, the good players clearly don't care, and the tournament directors and sponsors want it gone. Only a small handful of fans and the doubles players themselves want it to survive.

I think the domino effect of the collapse of pro doubles will be amusing. Lots of pro athletes suddenly have to settle for club pro jobs, and lots of current club "pros," who are legitimately no better than 5.0 or 5.5 hacks, will have to flip burgers because they have no other skillsets. LOL.

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:roll:

For the sake of argument, lets say your "vision" comes true. Why would you get enjoyment if that occurred

Regardless, your notion that doubles players play "pseudo-tennis" is flawed. A top doubles team will beat two top singles players the majority of time. The only thing that will make doubles a form of pseudo-tennis is rules like they are imposing now with no 3rd set or ad scoring.

I always make it a point to watch doubles at tourneys, and there are always fans in the stands.

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You 'always' make it a point to watch doubles at tourneys & yet are only noticing years later, that the scoring has been changed? In a way you are proving Grimjack right, that fans don't care about doubles at all, if it took you this long to be aware of the 'new' scoring, how big a fan of doubles can you really be?

It's funny how often these threads pop up, so long after the scoring has been changed(this probably won't be the last thread on it this year, there were many threads on this last year as well), it really shows how minor doubles is, that many hardcore tennis fans don't even know about the changes until they attend an event, & see it 1st hand(as they kill time in between singles matches)

Just looked up the doubles draw at last year's Sony Ericsson Open, they used this scoring system then as well.

Moose Malloy said:

You 'always' make it a point to watch doubles at tourneys & yet are only noticing years later, that the scoring has been changed? In a way you are proving Grimjack right, that fans don't care about doubles at all, if it took you this long to be aware of the 'new' scoring, how big a fan of doubles can you really be?


Just looked up the doubles draw at last year's Sony Ericsson Open, they used this scoring system then as well.

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Don't make assumptions about peoples lives you know nothing about. There was a reason I was not able to attend last years tournament being preoccupied with a serious family medical problem. I didn't know and made the thread as a result, end of story. Try addressing the topic rather than pontificate about the reasons I am just becoming aware of the change in rules.
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