Will we ever see the top players play singles and doubles again?

Question

After seeing how well Federer played in the Olympic doubles championship, I thought about how great it would be to see the top players in the game in both singles and doubles. I think the Williams sisters are the only top players who play singles and doubles in the slams. One of the best things about Navratilova and McEnroe is that they were the best in the world in both singles and doubles. I've even heard players say that playing doubles helps their singles game. Is the game just too different today, or is it just a lack of interest on the part of most of the top players?

Answer 1

Ubetcha, gets the singles  players more practice on the surface and they have fun playing doubles....less pressure, more fun.

Answer 2

Tennis today is WAY more challenging and demanding than it used to be years ago. The schedule for top ranked players is totally packed. They barely get to spend time with their friends and families! Playing doubles would mean spending even MORE time practising and playing. More exertion could affect their physical power, so they prefer to focus on ONE side of the game. :)

Answer 3

I think it would be cool if they cut down on tournys during the year and this would make more room for doubles. Rog has said hes gonna find the time to play Davis Cup 1st round nxt yr- think Stan musta half convinced him - so thatll be cool. But thats another hard part of their schedule- not only can they not play doubles, but they find it hard to play for Davis Cup. I'm pleased Rog is doing it next yr it'll be good for him, and the swiss will have a pretty good team with Stan there too! Wish Rog would play more doubles, him and Stan make an awesome team!

Answer 4

Like you, I would love to see Roger play more doubles (btw, he will make a good coach as well--he did a great job with his partner). However, the schedule, particularly this year, is so taxing that is very hard to do doubles and singles.

I noticed in this Olympics, for those singles players scheduled for doubles, the doubles

schedule was worked around the singles. However players in both had to play twice in one day as a result. It takes a toll and the price is to high---for the players andfor us as fans. Having watch the tennis in the Olympics all week, I saw the evidence of their fatigue from day to day---even Nadal.

Unless the ATP and WTA wake up and realize that these are athletes and not slaves, you will not see more single players playing doubles---it's not worth the price.

Answer 5

i doubt

Answer 6

Top players will love to play doubles back to back in the Master's & the Slams, for it hepls the singles game, but their already overloaded schedule prevents them to do so. Even Roger had complained about the Olympics schedule so wacky.

The Williams sisters are an exception. Besides ladies don't have to play 5 set games as men do at the Slams.