CHENNAI: When top singles players formed pairs to play in mixed doubles match as an exhibition in the US Open in August last year, fans flocked to the stands and made it a full-house. While they got to see the best combine together to win matches, question mark over the competitive doubles format remained. Multiple Grand Slam title holder from Australia Todd Woodbridge spoke in a select media interaction on the importance of the format, amongst other topics days before the year's first Grand Slam event — the Australian Open is set to begin. Excerpts..
On Alcaraz splitting up with long time coach before Australian Open
I would assume it will be business as usual for Carlos. He hasn't always played every tournament without Juan Carlos Ferrero there. So he knows what it's like to be able to still play and win. But it's got to be something difficult for him because he's not in the corner to go back to anymore to be able to say to the coach 'what do you think?.' So, sometimes in sport, it's inevitable that there's going to be change, but this one was very unexpected, and I think it's going to make the start of the season more challenging than what it might have been for Alcaraz. He has one thing left to do in our sport and that's to win the Australian Open and that's to achieve the career grand slam. And if he's able to do that in Australia, he becomes one of the great players of all time.
On what makes Alcaraz-Sinner rivalry intriguing
What those two have been able to do is increase the level of tennis to something I didn't think was possible for their age. And so early in their rivalry, they are playing a level that we only saw on numerous occasions between Roger Federer Rafael Nadal and then Novak Djokovic. They have set the bar for this generation of their peers, their own age bracket and the ones below of what tennis is going to be looking like over the next 10-15 years. Be it power, athleticism, tactically, both very astute and understand how to play their games perfectly, but also how to break up their opponent's games. Somebody said to me recently, 'oh, we need to get somebody else in that picture of who might be able to challenge them.' But right now, I would watch that final every day of the year at one of those major championships. 12 months ago, I said I'd like to see that at the Australian Open. Now, I'd love to see them finish it off actually at the Australian Open.
On top singles players forming pairs for mixed doubles at US Open
I know that the US Open mixed doubles was successful. But it was an exhibition event. What the United States Tennis Association (USTA) and the majors need to do is to recognize that they're the historians of the sport. They carry all of the honour boards of the champions — past and the ones hopefully present. So, you must look after the sport and you must find ways to get those players to play, but also allow a qualifying for it that is indicative of everybody in our game to have opportunity to play. So, I think and hope that the USTA will see that what they did do, it did work. We got full houses and it got coverage and it got doubles at front and centre. So that part was a big risk and a big change, but it's a positive. And now if we can, get more of the best doubles players in the world, a guaranteed spot, and remembering that the best mixed doubles team in the world and the defending champions won that exhibition, then it showcased that being a great singles player doesn't necessarily mean that you are the greatest, in the doubles. So we have to reach that balance. But first and foremost, you have got to erect the history of the sport and allow for those honour boards to continue to grow.
On the rivalry between Sabalenka and Swiatek
The women's tour of the last two years has been fascinating to see. But Aryna obviously has had that ability to reach semis and finals. She's thrown a few ties away. I think she'd agree with that language in that she just, she got nervous. But every time she's had one of those moments, she got better from it, which is the most impressive part about her. That tells you a lot about how tough she is. I really tip my hat to her about her resilience. When you look at Iga, I think she's going through a resilience-building part of her career. Because when she became Number 1, after Ash Barty retired, she was brilliant. She won French Open in the style of Steffi Graf — never played well on grass. And this year, by not making the final in Paris, it gave her a chance to actually prepare better and maybe it shows her what she needs to do in the second-half of her career to keep winning majors. So to put them together, I love the contrast of that match because you've got the flat hard hitting of Sabalenka and then you've got this absolute fighter refusing to go down attitude that Iga brings to match. I love it in our sport in particular when you have contrast in those match-ups and those different styles. They bring power, they bring expectation, they build resistance, but they also build this spirit and I love watching them compete.
On whether doubles format enjoys the same popularity from 90s
Not necessarily, but what we do see is when you get the right people winning and the celebrations in the countries that they're from, you get of the great stories of the year, and it got highlighted. Wimbledon released their annual tournament video narrated by Billie Jean King. And there's the moments of the doubles of Australia's Rinky Hijikata, playing with his partner, David Pel. They were lucky losers to sign in, basically, and went all the way to the final. There are always these great stories, and they've got to be put out there. Wimbledon does that very well. So, that's a part. I know at the Australian Open, we're highlighting those as proper leading events, whereas the men's and women's doubles finals follows the singles where everyone would go home. You've got to just use it in the right way. And I think the slam's are finally working that out. In terms of partnerships, you've got to get a nationality together.You've got to get the Indian Express, you've got to get the Woodies, and you've got to have them stay and play and do that. But doubles, it is never going to be the pinnacle. It is always going to be a stepping stone to single success, but also it is a major championship winning event.
