McEnroe thinks doubles should be scrapped.

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Legendary player John McEnroe has questioned the usefulness of keeping doubles alive in professional tennis.
McEnroe won 155 titles in his illustrious career, of which 77 were in singles and 78 came in doubles.
But he has now spoken out against the latter, arguing that it is of little interest in the modern era and featuring only 'slower', 'mediocre' players.
McEnroe, who will be 55 next February, was arguably the best player to have ever crossed between singles and doubles consistently in his career and his views have been forthright.
"Doubles - why are we even playing it?" he said in an interview with The Times. "Most of you guys know I love doubles. But I look at it now and say, what is this? I don’t even recognise what this is.
"I don’t know what doubles is bringing to the table," he added. "The doubles are the slow guys who aren’t quick enough to play singles.
"Would it be better off, no disrespect, but would it be better off if there was no doubles at all, and we invest all the money we save elsewhere so that some other guys who never really got into a good position in the sport, end up playing more in singles?"
McEnroe's major gripe is with the fact that doubles has made millionaires of very mediocre players who could not cut it on the singles tour, and that is an issue many others in the game share.
His former professional doubles partner, Peter Fleming, once said that the best doubles team of all time would be 'Junior (his nickname for McEnroe) and anyone', so there is no doubt that his views carry real clout.
And on the subject of the most dominant doubles pair in the modern era, Bob and Mike Bryan, he was equally uncompromising with his views.
"I hear the greatest doubles players of all time - the Bryan Brothers and it’s 'Excuse me?' I find that comment unbelievable."
This week McEnroe has been asked to meet with Chris Kermode, the soon-to-be executive chairman and president of the ATP World Tour, and he will have a chance to further air his views on the state of the sport."

So what do you think?
I don't agree but it is a shame more top players don;t play it. Thoughts?

WTT?

World Team Tennis.

Dustin Brown and Gael Monfils are playing together at the Australian Open. Can we wait until after that to scrap double please?

Wow, what a reggae reggae sauce, we're jammin' combo!

Maybe this should be the 'unusual doubles pairings' thread? ;)I'm guessing that Fedhut might sneak in here too.

lydian, good points about the state of doubles earlier on in this thread, but it has to be said that the Bryans definitely exacerbate the problem. I saw some good, inventive tennis from Stepanek and Paes last year at varying points, and no doubt there's craft to be found elsewhere. Unfortunately the Bryans (among many, many other pairings) cover this up and largely doubles is indeed very one-dimensional. I miss seeing real touch players like Cara Black regularly on tour, too.

Indeed silver, we saw the effect Berdych had on the doubles at Qatar, beating the established pairing of Peya/Soares. The problem is the tour doesn't encourage the top singles players to compete at doubles outside periods when they need singles practice...e.g. start of year...back from period of absence...or Davis Cup.

I'd almost be in favour of all players having to start at the baseline when the server starts, then its a battle to rush e net...rather than seeing point after point of easy volley putaways from the returns.