‘Not right’ – Wimbledon champions threaten legal action over major tennis change
Wimbledon doubles champions Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool insist they will take legal action against proposed changes by the ATP to halve doubles draw sizes in 2028.
Cash and Glasspool became the first all-British pair since 1936 to win the men’s doubles when they triumphed on Centre Court last year.
The British duo are back at the All England Club seeking to defend their title, and needed just 51 minutes to book their place in the second round with a 6-3 6-0 win over Mariano Navone and Adolfo Daniel Vallejo.
However, Cash and Glasspool’s successes come against an uncertain backdrop as governing bodies consider changes that would further limit playing opportunities for doubles players.
While not confirmed, the ATP plan to cut the doubles field from 32 to 16 pairs for Masters 1000 and from 16 to eight for the 500 and 250 events.
The changes are part of a wider structural review, which will also see the 80:20 split of prize money between singles and doubles adjusted to 90:10.
And both Cash and Glasspool fear the changes will make it nearly impossible for players to make a living solely playing doubles moving forward.
‘Their way to tackle it is to just get rid of all doubles players and have singles guys play doubles, which I don’t think is the right decision,’ Glasspool said.
Cash, meanwhile, said the pair are happy to join other doubles players in taking legal action to try and prevent the changes.
‘It’s something that all the doubles players are united on,’ he said.
‘We hope it doesn’t go as far as legal action but if it has to then I know that we’re all on board to do so.’
Meanwhile, doubles world No.1 and fellow Brit Henry Patten labelled the decision as ‘odd’ and one that will only serve ‘to make the sport more elitist’.
‘It’s very difficult because all of those decisions have taken place behind closed doors, even the ATP Council members – [Andrea] Vavassori and [Marcelo] Arévalo – were unaware of these plans,’ Patten said.
‘It makes dialogue extremely difficult when those decisions and discussions are happening behind closed doors in the ATP. There’s a lot of uncertainty right now about whether it’s going to be viable to be a professional doubles player after 2028.
‘It’s odd to me that at a time when the ATP is doing well financially, they’re choosing to cut the jobs of tennis players and make the sport more elitist.
‘I never dreamed of doing this and I wish every kid who plays tennis has the opportunity to compete at Wimbledon or the US Open.
‘With these changes the number of kids that are able to achieve those things is going to be really diminished.’
In a brief statement, the ATP said: ‘Any potential changes will be developed through close consultation with players, tournaments and the ATP Board with any decisions made in the best long-term interests of the sport and its consumers.’
For more stories like this, check our sport page.
Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
