“We’ve got to get things right” – Craig Tiley fears for future of doubles in the face of dwindling audience numbers

The Australian Open director fears doubles is losing relevance after both doubles finals drew small audiences

Craig Tiley (Panoramic)

January 29, 2024

Craig Tiley, the Australian Open director, has said that he fears doubles is losing its significance in the face of dwindling viewing and audience numbers.

As tennis faces a possible period of rapid change as investors and external influences look set to mount challenges to the established order of the tennis calendar, key figures in the organisational side of the sport – such as Tiley – are seeking ways to safeguard against takeover bids while maintaining relevance to a changing audience.

Tiley has said that currently there weren’t enough ranking points, prize money or the audience-pulling nature of rivalries between the players for doubles to “mean something.”

The ATP is undertaking a review of the doubles side of the sport after low crowd attendance and audience viewing figures across all three doubles finals.

“I think we may have lost our way a little bit, we’re not meaning enough,” Tiley said.

“We’ve got to get things right, and we can’t keep spinning our wheels on things, and make some decisions.”

Bopanna and Ebden won the Australian Open Men’s Doubles title this year

Tiley implied that the change necessary to implement in doubles may possibly be part of wider, sweeping change across the sport as tennis faces the challenge of maintaining relevance to younger audiences.

“I take an approach from a leadership point of view that I’d rather ask for forgiveness than permission, because otherwise you’re just not going to be able to move at the speed that you can move at,” Tiley continued.

“The sport globally needs to look at it the same way, and do some things that really help it accelerate.”