Each main tennis match encompasses a vary of various occasions, however 17-time Grand Slam-winning doubles champion Mark Woodforde fears a self-discipline he excelled in is in want of a serious reboot.
Doubles may be very a lot a side-show at main tournaments and the one time it captures the creativeness of followers within the stands or watching on tv is that if one of many recreation’s prime singles gamers opts to enter.
Novak Djokovic’s partnership with Nick Kyrgios on the ATP 250 occasion in Brisbane was an exhilarating begin to 2025 for the doubles recreation, however sustaining curiosity on this self-discipline of the game will likely be difficult except we get extra massive names taking to the courtroom.
Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis thrilled the Melbourne crowds as they teamed as much as win the 2022 Australian Open doubles title and they’re going to reprise that partnership on the first main of 2025.
Whereas the ‘Particular Ok’ doubles partnership of Kyrgios and Kokkinakis later this month will seize headlines as soon as once more, the problem of getting the doubles occasions the eye they advantage is an ongoing situation for the game.
Right here, in an unique interview with Tennis365, Financial institution of China Hong Kong Tennis Open 2025 ambassador Woodforde mirrored on the decline of curiosity in doubles matches, with the curiosity generated by his iconic partnership with Todd Woodbridge now seeming like a distant reminiscence.
What can we do to generate extra curiosity in doubles tournaments?
Mark Woodforde: “It’s a massive query, however the doubles recreation wants a little bit of rescuing, in my view. I had a terrific partnership with the identical participant. As soon as Todd (Woodbridge) and I joined forces, we had nearly a decade collectively. Now, there may be an excessive amount of chopping and altering of companions and we don’t get an opportunity to see a partnership develop collectively any extra, which is a disgrace. Perhaps we are able to shorten matches in Grand Slams to encourage extra singles gamers to participate in doubles and we have to take a look at methods to encourage gamers to compete. Being a tennis participant means you compete in all of the disciplines on the market and that’s singles and doubles.”
Do you suppose extra singles gamers ought to play doubles to enhance their recreation?
Mark Woodforde: “Completely. After we get into the Davis Cup, we see the highest singles gamers stepping up and enjoying in doubles and we additionally noticed it on the Olympics, with the pairing of Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal creating a lot curiosity. What I’d say on this subject is that in an effort to attain the Corridor of Fame on the finish of your profession, it’s worthwhile to do effectively within the Grand Slams and profitable just a few in doubles would assist that. However we see the attracts at a serious match and there are only a few prime singles gamers getting into the doubles now. That may be a little bit of a head-scratcher for me. I don’t suppose there may be one fast repair, put it that method.”
So do we’d like extra doubles pairs to remain collectively for longer?
Mark Woodforde: “I believe so. When Todd and I offered Kyrgios and Kokkinakis with the trophy after they gained the Australian Open in 2022, we stated to each of the fellas that they might develop into top-of-the-line doubles groups. They don’t need to play each week, however a pair like that may deliver consideration and produce the crowds in to observe doubles. I simply don’t suppose a variety of the doubles groups now have model recognition as they don’t keep collectively for lengthy sufficient for followers to observe them.”
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Had been there any gamers out of your period who might have benefitted from enjoying doubles in addition to singles?
Mark Woodforde: “I take a look at somebody like Michael Chang. He was a unbelievable tennis participant, however he didn’t play doubles for many of his profession and by the point he did, he might have left it too late. He was on the verge of being the No 1 singles participant on just a few events and if he had performed some doubles it may need helped him. If he discovered find out how to serve and volley and perceive find out how to put the ball away on the internet, that may have translated to success on the singles courtroom. Then he might have claimed one of many final prizes… the prospect to say you might be No 1 on this planet.”
Did you ever fall out with Todd?
Mark Woodforde: “We had our moments once we had some issues, however we caught collectively. We noticed that it made sense for us. Success was driving us. Moving into the file books was all we would have liked to remain collectively and we caught it out.”
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