Strategic Pairings in Professional Doubles Tennis: The Role of the Strongest and Weakest Players

Abstract

This paper examines the dynamics of team composition in doubles tennis, exploring the strategic impact of player selection and the relative influence of the strongest and weakest players on a partnership's performance. Employing a game-based theoretical framework and analyzing data from ATP World Tour doubles matches (1976-2017), we investigate whether outcomes are more influenced by "hard-carrying," where a top-tier player significantly elevates a team's victory chances, or the "weakest link," where the least skilled player potentially poses a detriment. Our findings reveal that partnerships that include the strongest player in a match have a higher likelihood of winning, particularly when there is a notable skill disparity between the partners. This suggests that the presence of key high performers can elevate team outcomes.