Doubles More Profitable for Lower Ranked Players

[heninfan99]

It may be be obvious but I was just checking the prize earnings on ATP WORLD TOUR and Michael Llodra has made: $8,152,876 Singles & Doubles combined and even after taxes and travel and coaches that would leave a nice chunk of change. I'm thinking he made much it playing doubles.

So it's a bit confusing when you hear hard luck stories of players ranked below 100 yet above 200 when Daniel Nestor has made $10,982,136.

The business of doubles in tennis is bizarre to me. Like some loophole to get rich if you're a good player willing to abandon a singles career.

 

[NotSoSuper]

It may be be obvious but I was just checking the prize earnings on ATP WORLD TOUR and Michael Llodra has made: $8,152,876 Singles & Doubles combined and even after taxes and travel and coaches that would leave a nice chunk of change. I'm thinking he made much it playing doubles.

So it's a bit confusing when you hear hard luck stories of players ranked below 100 yet above 200 when Daniel Nestor has made $10,982,136.

The business of doubles in tennis is bizarre to me. Like some loophole to get rich if you're a good player willing to abandon a singles career.

Uhh no. Nestor has been on tour for over 20 years, that is not much money at all if you ask me, for a multiple grand slam champion in 20 years. LLodra has been around the 20 mark in singles and made some runs, and been top 5 in doubles. But still at 8 million after more than 10 years on tour you call that a loophole? THe doubles prize money is pathetic. If you think traveling the futures and challenger tours is tough regarding prize money look at what the doubles guys make, its much less. This is no loophole, they deserve more prize money if anything, on the main tour/future/challenger/Grand slam levels.

 

[Russeljones]

Can't really give the OP top marks for analytical work.

 

[heninfan99]

Uhm, yeah, sure. 11 mill is pocket change.
When Nestor or other guys play doubles against top singles players they lose. Pro doubles is a joke. And they don't sell any tickets. However, it's obviously a great way to make $$ if you can't cut it in singles like Nestor and others. I saw Nestor get blown off the court by Nadal/Lopez and he just lost to Nishikori and a player you never heard of.

Uhh no. Nestor has been on tour for over 20 years, that is not much money at all if you ask me

 

[heninfan99]

The world waits in anticipation for your top flight insight. Let er rip! But I suspect you're just a bung hole & skunt.

Can't really give the OP top marks for analytical work.

 

[tennisaddict]

Here are some stats for some famous doubles players :

Player / earnings

Horia Tecau 1,715,995
Rohan Bopanna 1,981,123
Zimonjic 6,742,389
MARIUSZ FYRSTENBERG 2,689,447
Marcelo Melo 1,672,737
BOB BRYAN 11,123,079
Mahesh Bhupathi 6,597,920
Max Mirnyi 10,630,548
Leander Paes 7,713,229

 

[Manus Domini]

Uhh no. Nestor has been on tour for over 20 years, that is not much money at all if you ask me, for a multiple grand slam champion in 20 years. LLodra has been around the 20 mark in singles and made some runs, and been top 5 in doubles. But still at 8 million after more than 10 years on tour you call that a loophole? THe doubles prize money is pathetic. If you think traveling the futures and challenger tours is tough regarding prize money look at what the doubles guys make, its much less. This is no loophole, they deserve more prize money if anything, on the main tour/future/challenger/Grand slam levels.

It may be pathetic in comparison to the earnings singles players get, but the doubles earnings are still superior to what lower-ranked single players get.

Nestor averaged about $500k a year, right? (~$10mil/20) That's far better than what you get if you're outside the top 100, or even top 50, in singles.

And don't forget, the prize money is split between two players.

 

[jaggy]

Would a doubles player have and travel with a coach? if not that would cut down on expenses, I really don't know the answer if they do or not.

 

[tennisaddict]

I took a few players from top 100 (spread out)

Giles Simon 7,824,810
Florian Mayer 5,109,007
Nieminen 6,785,454
Jurgen Melzer 8,762,340

Dodig 2,832,071
Falla 2,358,408
Golubev 1,882,110
Stakhovsky 2,982,819
Tobias Kamke 1,504,272

 

[tennisaddict]

If you are going to not go above 75 in singles and if you are good at doubles, better move to doubles before Johny Mc shuts it down.

In today's match Haas and Kohly defeated the WTF doubles champs Marrero / Verdasco.

Any time decent singles players come into doubles, they knock out established doubles teams easily.

So, I think at this time I agree with the OP.

There is imbalance.

 

[sundaypunch]

Half of a little is more than all of nothing.

 

[yemenmocha]

Doubles are underpaid and underpromoted.

Also, a significant percent of top 200 singles don't make for good doubles players due to playstyle. Some could do both, but many cannot.