The problem is not doubles, but the lack of stars playing it

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The debate on the future of doubles continues open, and Sadio Doumbia, one of the specialists in the discipline, is clear about what could be the best possible attraction: pairing Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. The French player believes the issue lies not so much in the format but in the absence of big stars capable of engaging the fans.

Doumbia reflected on the challenges faced by doubles in generating interest outside of Grand Slams, especially in smaller tournaments. In his view, current tennis is experiencing an extreme process of "starification", where the audience clearly prioritizes watching their greatest idols above any other match.

Doumbia believes that Alcaraz and Sinner could revitalize the doubles discipline

"What sells nowadays are the great champions: Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, or players from the host country. Location also matters. People go to Roland Garros or Wimbledon for the charm of the place, and the stands are always full," Doumbia explained. His example to illustrate this trend is striking. "If tomorrow Sinner and Alcaraz played doubles together, everyone would go see them before an individual match between two players in the Top 20," he stated in Tennis Temple.

Doumbia goes even further by pointing out to what extent the big stars influence the audience's habits. "People prefer watching Jannik practice rather than an official match between the world number 50 and 80. We are fascinated by the stars. The issue is not the doubles, but the lack of true superstars in this specialty," he affirmed.

The reflection opens up a fascinating scenario. Sinner and Alcaraz possess power, mobility, quality in returns, and significant resources from the baseline, although they would need to adapt to specific automatisms of the discipline. Seeing them team up would mean, in any case, an extraordinary media event. For Doumbia, such examples demonstrate that regularly bringing together the top singles stars could be one of the best ways to restore the prominence that doubles demands.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, "El problema no es el dobles, sino la falta de estrellas que lo juegan"