​British tennis player Henry Patten asserts that only winning the Wimbledon men’s doubles final on Saturday will secure him and his partner Harri Heliövaara a coveted presence on the ATP Tour’s Instagram page, as tensions rise within the sport. The storied four-man doubles format at the All England Club has been overshadowed by a controversial proposal unveiled at an ATP Player Council meeting last week. The proposal recommends cutting doubles draws in half and trimming prize money from 2028 onward to favour singles players. The idea has sparked widespread anger in the doubles community, with Patten, a left-hander from Britain, among its most outspoken critics.
Despite the off-court upheaval, Patten and Heliövaara have remained focused and secured a place in Saturday’s Wimbledon final on Centre Court. They overcame Thanasi Kokkinakis and Aleksandar Kovacevic in a hard-fought 7-6 (2) 7-6 (8) victory on Thursday in front of a crowded Court One, setting up a final against Mate Pavić and Marcelo Arevalo. Yet, even this gripping semi-final win—and their previous runner-up finish at Roland Garros—has not earned them any mention on the ATP’s social media channels.
Patten and Heliövaara are into the Wimbledon doubles final (Getty)
“The reality is you need to win a slam or be in the final of a slam to be anywhere near their Instagram page. I don’t see why they couldn’t promote eight guys,” Patten said, directly challenging the ATP’s approach.
He dismissed the organisation’s rationale, adding: “Their argument is, ‘oh you guys are always changing your partnerships’—no, the top guys are not. So, they have these odd narratives like, ‘no one watches doubles,’ but Wimbledon has done a pretty good job of selling out crowds for doubles this week on every court.”
Patten also criticized the ATP’s dismissive attitude toward Wimbledon’s success. “They would say it doesn’t really count because it’s Wimbledon, everyone is there, but what are you talking about? Of course it counts. You should be aiming for your tournaments to be as successful as these, so I would love to see them shift their mindset regarding doubles. I’d love them to see it as an opportunity for growth alongside the singles, but we’ll see.”
Patten, a two-time grand slam champion, has consistently opposed the proposals, noting that they were developed with minimal consultation, even as the ATP insists the aim is to pursue “a more sustainable long-term model while maintaining doubles’ important role on the tour.” Patten, who cut his teeth on the Challenger circuit and had not progressed past the third round of a major before this year’s Wimbledon doubles title run, fears these changes could hinder the emergence of players like him in the future.
“They are talking about cutting lots of jobs effectively, and it means in 10 years’ time, if these proposals go ahead, …” he implied, stressing that the potential impact on the doubles ecosystem could be significant.