For most of the 2010s, doubles tennis was something of an afterthought on the professional tour. Stadium crowds were sparse, TV coverage was minimal, and singles stars rarely played doubles outside of the slams. That has shifted noticeably in the last two years.
What changed
Three things converged. Several established singles players (especially in the women's game) started playing doubles regularly, drawing bigger crowds. Slam doubles draws now feature significantly more high-profile names. And the Olympic doubles success of major singles stars at Paris 2024 raised the format's profile.
The crossover effect
Coco Gauff, Elena Rybakina, and Aryna Sabalenka have all played meaningful doubles tournaments in 2025-26. On the men's side, Carlos Alcaraz and Casper Ruud have entered doubles draws at multiple events. This was rare a few years ago.
The pure doubles specialists
The dedicated doubles teams (the established Croatian, American, and Indian pairings) remain the consistent winners at most events. The doubles-specialist format has not been replaced; it has been complemented by part-time entrants.
Where doubles is heading
The format will likely keep gaining attention through 2026, especially with the Wimbledon expansion plans giving doubles more on-court visibility. This is healthy for tennis as a whole.