Bob, Mike Bryan say doubles tennis faces uncertain future

Douglas Robson | USA TODAY Sports

LONDON – Coming off their best season in an already celebrated career, Americans Bob and Mike Bryan said doubles faces an uncertain future.

Young, up-and-coming prospects are few. Teams primed to carry the torch once the Bryans retire are thin. Behind-the-scene voices to make sure doubles is marketed and given its proper due are growing fainter.

"It's in the back of our heads," righty Mike told USA TODAY Sports. "Where does it go from here once we're done?"

"We don't want to retire and just wipe our legacy clean," said lefty Bob.

Here in London, the chance to burnish their legacy continued Saturday. The top-ranked Bryans defeated Poland's Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Marcin Matkowski 4-6, 6-3 10-5 to secure a semifinal spot in the ATP World Tour Finals.

The three-time, year-end champions from the USA face second-ranked Alexander Peya and Bruno Soares on Sunday. The other semifinal pits No. 3 Ivan Dodig and Marcelo Melo against No. 6 David Marrero and Fernando Verdasco.

For years, the 35-year-old California twins have been the face of men's doubles.

Despite packed crowds at London's indoor 02 Arena this week -- perhaps the best showcase for doubles across the entire tour – the Bryans expressed worry that doubles continues to decline professionally, even if recreational players overwhelmingly choose it over singles.

Their concerns include the abundance of baseline playing styles, a trend where doubles finals are scheduled too far in advance of singles finals (that result in half-empty stadiums) and a lack of stars-in-the-making.

The brothers also criticized the ATP for failing to devote more of its budget to promoting doubles on its website, in stadium scoreboard highlights and in ATP commercials.

They said scheduling is also sometimes a problem, especially when singles stars like Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic suit up but are relegated to outside courts while center courts with singles matches remain far from full.

"Obviously the ATP can do a better job," Bob said, who believes doubles needs a commissioner. "We need a guy we can go talk to, that fights for doubles rights at all times."

Not everyone agrees.

"Doubles is looking really good at the moment," said Indian star Leander Paes, citing increases in prize money and exposure. He noted that more singles players were competing in doubles, such as former top-10 player Verdasco of Spain, who qualified here.

The Bryans admit they have not exercised their doubles bully pulpit enough.

"We're so focused on our career and playing we haven't had the chance to get into the political side of the game and do a lot for doubles behind the scenes," acknowledged Bob. "That might be something we can do when we retire."

But he said the game needs more "TLC," especially after the TV-friendly move a few years ago to substitute a third set with a super tiebreak.

"Over time it's been pushed to the backburner," said Bob. "The whole thing about the shortened format was to get more doubles matches on center courts, but they're slowly starting to put less doubles matches out there."

The slowing pipeline of talent is another issue. Most of the top doubles players are over 30, or in the case of 25th-ranked Daniel Nestor, past 40.

The twins struggled to name a top doubles prospect under 25, finally citing Britain's Neal Skupski, 23, who plays with his older brother, Ken Skupski, 30. They also mentioned 101-ranked American Austin Krajicek, who is 23.

They pointed to under-30 pairings of 10th-ranked Jamie Murray and John Peers and 12th-ranked Treat Huey and Dominic Inglot as others to watch.

"It's thin because doubles is a game you need years and years to get comfortable and find a partner you can stick with for a long time," said Mike. "You're not going to see any hotshot 20 year olds being a good doubles player because they don't play enough in the juniors. It's tough to break in."

None of this has stopped them from producing their finest season.

They won the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon to increase their record haul of majors to 15 and wrapped up the No. 1 ranking for an unprecedented ninth time before the fall Asian swing began.

Their two wins at the World Tour Finals gives them a career-high 14,910 rankings points – more than double No. 2 Peya and Soares -- and they have a chance to eclipse their season-best mark of 11 titles in 2007 and 2009 with a 12th here in London.

Most notably, they became the first team to hold all four Grand Slam titles at the same time in the Open era and were within two matches of capturing a rare calendar-year Slam. Australians Ken McGregor and Frank Sedgman are the only men's team to complete a true Grand Slam in 1951.

The Bryans fell short when they lost to Paes and Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic in the U.S. Open semifinals.

"It would have been another great record to have in our pocket but there is always something else," said Mike.

The loss stung, but they said their two Davis Cup defeats hurt more.

Their biggest concern heading into 2014 is family. Both brothers are married, and Bob has a young daughter. Bob's wife, Michelle, and 22-month-old, Micaela, often accompany him on the road, but he said it's becoming harder to spend weeks away from them.

"It does wear on you mentally a little bit," he said.

As for goals, they have a few left: Reach triple digits in titles (they already own the most with 93); finish No. 1 for a 10th time; and eclipse Todd Woodbridge's individual record of 16 Grand Slam doubles titles.

Australia's Woodbridge won 11 with Mark Woodforde and five with Jonas Bjorkman.

"And then," laughed Mike, "go for another calendar year slam."