If the Bryan brothers can draw large crowds at the U.S. Open it would send a strong message to the ATP. Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

Right to the questions ...

Here's a reason the ATP should pay more attention to doubles: Most of us hacks play it exclusively. I'm not included here, but as one of my league tennis team's singles players, I ended up with heat exhaustion after playing three two-hour-long matches in as many days at the Southern Section Championships, and even I'm beginning to recognize that as I get closer to 40, I may not be able to take the heat against guys 15 to 20 years my junior. (I sympathize with Andre Agassi!) People want to watch the sport they actually play (NASCAR notwithstanding), and the ATP needs to recognize this.
  -- Kevin Knudson, Starkville, Miss.

This was a hot topic both within and without Bagville last week. The more I hear I about this, the more clear it becomes that these "enhancements" for doubles: a) represent underhanded backroom politics at its most unseemly, b) have antagonized the Slams, something the ATP is ill-advised to do these days, c) have generated fan backlash that will only grow when people see these sweeping changes in practice, and d) have not only infuriated the doubles players but also the singles stars who feel for their buddies and see this as the ATP favoring the tournament directors at the expense of the dues-paying members. Get the feeling the ATP miscalculated badly on this one.

As for the notion that more singles players might be inclined to play doubles, we tossed this one to Andy Roddick, and here's his response: "I don't think I'll play more, you know. I don't -- I just don't think I will. My focus is singles. And, you know, if I need the extra practice, I'll go out on a practice court. I play sometimes for fun, but I don't think, you know, that playing -- whatever they're playing, half sets and no switchovers and, you know, five-second shot clock or something, I don't think I'm going to play any more doubles." We also point out that, Rafael Nadal, the player the ATP trotted out to provide a spoon-fed soundbite supporting the changes, pulled out of doubles last week in Montreal after reaching the quarters in singles, a trend that will surely continue.

Anyway, Kevin raises a fair point. Most recreational hacks play doubles, not singles. You'd think these folks would like to watch how the experts do it. No one is arguing that something needs to be done to "enhance" doubles. But the view here is that the problem is marketing, not an inherently flawed product. If you agree, you can show your support during the U.S. Open. If the Bryans, Jonathan Erlich and Andy Ram, Wayne Black and Kevin Ullyett, etc., play before significant crowds it would send a strong message to the ATP.

This Monica Seles hiatus has a "will Pete Sampras retire, or won't he?" feel to it. I know you'll say athletes should have the right to call it quits on their terms, but that's PC fluff. I am curious as to what your real thoughts are about issues like this?
  -- Jon Berg, Seattle

Far as we're concerned, Seles pretty much gets a pass on anything this side of grand theft auto. But even if we are talking about Jill Q. Player, I fail to see the PC fluff. By wavering about her retirement, Seles is hurting ... whom exactly? Unlike a player in a team sport perpetually on the IR, she's not taking someone's job. There's no guaranteed contract hamstringing the club's payroll or affecting its draft order. Fans are disappointed but surely no less so than if she just walked away. (Yes, by staying "active" Seles is surely remaining on various endorsement payrolls. But who's going to begrudge her that?)

I think I was somewhat critical of Sampras' retirement because of the clumsy handling. The same week his people were whispering that he hadn't touched a racket in months, tournaments were announcing that Sampras had committed to play. Then, invariably, the camp would prepare a statement, and he'd withdraw. This went on for an entire year and it was, frankly, beneath him.

In Seles' case, there's no misdirection or disingenuous announcement. She clearly wants to return. It's a question of whether her body will cooperate.