By Gabe Jaramillo | Friday, September 11, 2026
Photo credit: Pete Staples/USTA
I admit it—you are right. I come from the old school. I have enjoyed doubles for many years, first as a player and later as a coach.
Many of the players I trained earned their first ITF ranking points playing doubles. That is why I cannot remain indifferent to the possibility that this discipline may lose its prominence—or even disappear—from professional tournaments.
It is true that the stands are nearly empty during many doubles matches. But we have also witnessed matches played in packed stadiums, with unforgettable atmospheres. I am very demanding when it comes to watching tennis, and I can honestly say that few things have given me as much pleasure as watching great doubles players dominate the net, anticipate the next shot, and make something extraordinarily difficult look effortless. They are the kind of players who make us want to pick up a racket and immediately step onto the court.
Doubles also has a social dimension that cannot be ignored. Once we reach a certain age, playing doubles with friends becomes far more enjoyable—and realistic—than competing in singles. Let us be honest: in singles, there are balls we simply cannot reach anymore. Doubles allows us to keep playing, competing, and enjoying tennis for many more years.
So, what must we do to preserve doubles on the professional circuit and prevent so many players who make their living from this specialty from losing their careers?
First, both the ATP and the WTA must make a greater effort to promote doubles players. Fans need to know their stories, personalities, sacrifices, and rivalries. These athletes should participate in press conferences, interviews, and promotional activities. Beginning at the junior level, players should also be taught how to communicate, connect with fans, and handle a microphone. It is difficult to admire and support players we are never given the opportunity to know.
Players also have a responsibility. Doubles must be presented as a true spectacle—full of intensity, emotion, energy, and connection with the crowd. The Bryan brothers understood this perfectly. Bob and Mike did not simply win; they projected excitement. After an important point, they would jump toward each other, chest-bump, and celebrate with infectious joy. They created a distinctive identity, filled stadiums, and made fans feel they could not afford to miss a single match.
Who can forget Bob and Mike Bryan? They won 16 Grand Slam titles, an Olympic gold medal, and 119 tournaments together. They are widely considered the greatest men’s doubles team of all time.
We must also remember John McEnroe and Peter Fleming; Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde, known as The Woodies; and, of course, Ken Flach and Robert Seguso, who captured three Grand Slam titles together, won Olympic gold at the 1988 Seoul Games, and became the world’s leading doubles team in 1985.
Women’s tennis has given us equally extraordinary teams. Martina Navratilova and Pam Shriver won 20 Grand Slam titles together and established an astonishing 109-match winning streak. Gigi Fernández and Natasha Zvereva captured 14 Grand Slam titles as a team. And Serena and Venus Williams won 14 Grand Slam titles and three Olympic gold medals together. And Martina Hingis and Anna Kournikova—among the most famous culturally —packed stadiums.
This is more than a collection of statistics. It is history. These teams gave us unforgettable matches, memories, and emotions. They proved that doubles can be fast, intelligent, intense, and spectacular.
Eliminating doubles would not solve the problem of empty seats. On the contrary, it would take away the livelihoods of many specialists, deprive fans of a unique form of the game, and erase an essential part of tennis’s identity.
The challenge is not to eliminate doubles but to promote it more effectively, tell the stories of its protagonists, and turn every match into a spectacle worth watching. If tennis abandons doubles, it will not merely remove another competition from the calendar; it will erase a fundamental part of its history. And when a sport begins to erase its own history, it may also be taking the first step toward its decline.
About Gabe Jaramillo
Gabe Jaramillo is an internationally recognized tennis coach who has worked with 11 world No. 1 players, including Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, Monica Seles, and Maria Sharapova. Founder and CEO of RPS Academies and author of How to Make Champions, he brings decades of experience developing champions at the highest levels of tennis.
0 comments