New rules intended to increase the attractiveness of doubles tournaments
“for spectators, players and organizers”
will be tested from the Masters 1000 in Madrid in April and during the 2024 season, announced the ATP Wednesday.
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Doubles tournaments have become a headache and a financial problem for organizers because they no longer attract the best singles players, so the body which runs the professional men's tennis circuit will try to bring them back. For this, in Madrid (April 24-May 5)
“the table of 32 teams will reserve up to sixteen places for teams whose players will enter thanks to their ranking in singles”
and not in doubles, decided the ATP. The doubles tournament will also be condensed over five days (Tuesday to Saturday of the second week) and spectators will be free to move around the court. The players will be subject to new rules intended to reduce the duration of matches.
Thus, instead of having 25 seconds between two points, the server will only have fifteen if the previous point gave rise to less than four exchanges and will recover the 25 seconds currently in force if the point has reached or exceeded four trades. Likewise, players will not be allowed to consistently sit down every other game.
“The format changes will be tested in a number of tournaments during the 2024 season and further details will be communicated in due course,”
concludes the ATP, which does not specify in particular either the number or the name of the tournaments concerned. beyond Madrid.