NEW YORK -- The world's top men's doubles players have taken
their organization to court, contending proposed changes by the ATP
will run them out of the game.
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Houston, says
doubles specialists will be undermined by the ATP's call for
"enhanced doubles competition."
"The players are fed up. We've had enough and think it's
unfair," Mark Knowles of the Bahamas, vice president of the ATP
Player Council and half of the No. 1-ranked team in 2002 and 2004,
said at a news conference Friday at the U.S. Open.
The ATP recently announced changes in the rules concerning
scoring in doubles, as well as how players would qualify for
doubles tournaments, according to the plaintiffs. The players
contend the ATP has "unfairly changed the system to exclude
doubles players in favor of singles players, upsetting long
traditions in the sport."
"We're trying to do the same thing -- grow the game," ATP
spokesman David Higdon said.
Other doubles specialists who joined the suit include Knowles'
doubles partner, Daniel Nestor of Canada; brothers Bob and Mike
Bryan of Camarillo, Calif.; Mahesh Bhupathi of India; former NCAA
champions Richard and Will Barker of Houston; and Graydon Oliver of
Coral Springs, Fla., a former NCAA champion.
The complaint, filed Thursday, seeks injunctive relief to stop
the ATP's and its directors' "alleged unlawful and anticompetitive
conduct against athletes who excel in doubles," according to a
news release released by the players' lawyers.
The new requirements will not extend to the four Grand Slam
tournaments or the year-ending Tennis Masters Cup, which are
governed by the International Tennis Federation.
The plaintiffs argue, however, the rules will keep most doubles
stars from those events because of the ATP ranking system changes.
"If double players are prohibited from playing ATP events
because their singles rankings are not high enough to secure entry
to singles draws, they will lack the ATP standing to be eligible
for doubles draws at the Grand Slam events," according to the news
release.
"Our backs are against the wall right now," Mike Bryan said.
"If we don't unite, there might not be a game of doubles."