Doubles players will be the subject of a bold experiment at the upcoming Madrid Masters with the traditional first sIt down after three games set for elimination.
The specialists will play through the early stages as the ATP tries to speed up the game in an effort to appeal to the short attention spans of modern fans – more precisely, Gen Zed.
ATP officials spun the revision of the team game in the most optimistic of terms.
Other new wrinkles set to be trialled in Madrid include:
Half of the 32 team spots will be reserved for players based upon their singles instead of doubles rankings in the hopes of drawing in some of the better-known names in the sport.
Running the doubles from Tuesday to Saturday and only during the second week of the Masters.
Speeding up the shot clock and reducing time between points to 15 seconds instead of 25 if the previous point was less than four shots.
Adding quicker changeovers with fewer sit-downs. Allowing spectators to come and go freely at any point in the match.
World No. 2 doubles ace Matt Ebden is all in on the new plans:
“Doubles has so much to offer fans and the atmosphere it can create when presented in the right way is phenomenal,” he said.
“We as players recognise that more needs to be done to put our best foot forward.
“A lot of time, thought and care has gone into this process, and it’s been a privilege to play my part.”
Main photo:- Joe Salisbury and Rajeev Ram win US Open Men’s Doubles – Roger Parker International Sports Fotos Ltd
