On The Line has learned that tournament organizers are up in arms over the status of doubles on the men's tour, and that the very status of doubles on the ATP tour is in jeopardy.

One can understand the frustration of the tournament organizers. Usually, the seats are filled for singles matches. Meanwhile, doubles, populated often by little known specialists in the discipline, plays to small crowds on the side courts. But the doubles players, benefiting from the full hospitality at tournaments, are often regarded as "freeloaders" on the tour, profiting from the tournament's largesse while adding little of value to the tournament.

One obvious problem is that the top singles players, wary of fatigue from playing too many matches and not needing the extra money doubles wins would provide them, tend to shun the doubles. There are a few exceptions ? Yevegeny Kafelnikov is an avid doubles participant, as are the young stars like Lleyton Hewitt and Roger Federer ? but gone are the days when stars like Kuerten, Norman (Magnus, that is), Rafter and Sampras would make regular appearances in doubles.

The female stars have traditionally supported doubles more than their male confrères, but that too seems to be changing. The Williams sisters play only infrequently, and both Martina Hingis and Lindsay Davenport have significantly reduced their doubles commitments.

Sad, because doubles is a spectacular discipline which is often more entertaining than singles. The ATP has advanced several suggestions to give doubles back its lost lustre. Among them are giving players entry into the doubles draw based on their singles ranking, and rationalizing the schedule such that star players are not obliged to play late evening doubles matches, as is often the case presently.

However, it seems an uphill battle as long as the established singles stars don't need the doubles to survive.