Henry Patten: doubles players say ATP is 'taking our jobs'

DIRECT ANSWER: Men's doubles stars including world number one Henry Patten are battling ATP Tour plans from 2028 that would halve draw sizes and cut doubles prize money from 20% to 10%. Wimbledon champions Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool say the tour is "taking our jobs away," warning the move could end doubles as a viable profession for anyone outside the top 30.

The row erupted during Wimbledon 2026 after the ATP pitched the changes to its Player Council. Cash and Glasspool joined dozens of specialists condemning proposals they say lacked consultation.

Key Takeaways

• From 2028, doubles draws could shrink to 16 teams at ATP 1000 events and eight at smaller tournaments.
• Prize money for doubles may fall from 20% of the pot to 10%, with funds redirected to early-round singles.
• Henry Patten called the ATP plan "elitist and shambolic," saying it redistributes money to players already thriving.
• About 150 men specialise in doubles on tour; players warn hundreds of jobs are at risk.
• The ATP says it is assessing a more sustainable long-term model while keeping doubles on the schedule.

Why are doubles players angry at the ATP?

At a meeting at Wimbledon on Tuesday, the ATP outlined changes that would halve doubles draws and cut the discipline's prize-money share from 20% to 10%. In a joint statement on Friday, leading players said the tour wanted to "slash doubles draws, gut doubles prize money, and hand Challenger entry to singles players ahead of specialists."

They argued anyone ranked outside the world's top 30 would find it "impossible to make a living." Glasspool told the BBC: "We're angry because you're taking our jobs away—what do you want us to do? We've worked hard for 20 years to be in this position." Cash said the ATP was founded to protect players, "not to try and kill parts of the sport."

What did Henry Patten say about the proposed cuts?

Wimbledon champion Henry Patten, who shares the world number one ranking with Harri Heliovaara, labelled the governing body "elitist and shambolic." "I think it's really sad," Patten said, warning the plan would make tennis "a more elitist sport" by redirecting funds to singles players already doing well.

Patten argued the ATP's handling of doubles was "a pretty good case study of how to kill a product," accusing the tour of blaming poor popularity while failing to market the discipline. As The Times put it, the ATP appears to be undermining doubles while faulting the format for lacking appeal.

How has Wimbledon become a battleground?

The dispute lands amid what the i Paper called tennis's "civil war." Top-10 singles players had staged a brief media boycott at Wimbledon over demands for 22% of tournament revenue before talks ended the protest. Players now fear Grand Slam prize pressure will be answered by cuts elsewhere.

One doubles specialist told iNews: "Our livelihoods are on the line. If they do this, we're unemployed as soon as it happens." Glasspool suggested the ATP timed its pitch during a Slam knowing top singles stars are least likely to intervene. For more on high-stakes conflicts, see our True Crime & Unsolved Mysteries coverage.

What is the ATP saying in response?

The ATP said it is "assessing the doubles product, draw sizes and player compensation distribution with the aim of creating a more sustainable long-term model while maintaining doubles' important role on the tour." The review may redirect funds to boost early-round singles prize money. The changes would not affect Grand Slams.

Neal Skupski, ranked world number five, urged the ATP to be "more open" but doubted protests would help. Doubles players insist they are "not a carnival sideshow" and have urged the tour to withdraw the plans and talk. Until then, specialists at SW19 face an uncertain future beyond 2028.