Aldila Sutjiadi is the #36 WTA doubles player coming off a grass court title in Bad Homburg alongside Vera Zvonareva. I spoke with Aldila a few days before Wimbledon, so we discussed her preparation, recent title, and more.

We talk through recovery choices, what actually creates doubles chemistry, and her health scare from a few years ago.

• Managing Wimbledon prep with smart on-site time and planned practice blocks
• Handling recovery day to day, including physio for specific pain
• Unpacking the French Open cramp and the role of heat and hydration
• What clicked with Vera Zvonareva in Bad Homburg
• Zvonareva's communications style (I loved this part)
• Grass-court doubles fundamentals, including staying low, first volleys, and serve-plus-one patterns
• Adjusting quickly across many partners by leaning on a hybrid baseline and net game
• Returning from a wrist injury and a sudden hearing-loss episode with vertigo and hospitalization
• Growing Instagram through wins, highlights, and connecting with Indonesian tennis fans

Aldila reached the second round in women's doubles and the quarterfinals in mixed doubles at Wimbledon. Follow Aldila on Instagram below and watch her throughout the 2026 season!

Learn more about Aldila & follow:

• Instagram
• WTA Profile
• Wikipedia

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players**

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

I talk with Dan Kiernan from Wimbledon about the proposed ATP doubles changes for 2028 and why doubles players feel blindsided by the messaging. We focus on transparency, intent, and respect, and what doubles players can realistically do next if leadership will not share clear facts.

You'll also hear specific names who we believe may be pushing this agenda forward.

• Initial reactions from doubles players and coaches at Wimbledon
• Why “doubles isn’t sustainable” needs real definitions and data
• How ticket sales, streaming, sponsorship, and event value get misunderstood
• Respect as the foundation for any doubles growth plan
• Why intent matters
• How ATP governance differs from the WTA approach to player input
• What “closing the pathway” could mean for doubles specialists
• Likelihood the 2028 plan moves forward and why a fight is coming
• Practical advice for players: awareness, answers, and sticking together
• Why infighting helps leadership and weakens player leverage on revenue

This is a super informative conversation that I hope helps you better understand all the layers to this situation.

Learn more about Dan & follow:

• Instagram
• Control The Controllables Podcast
• SotoTennis Academy

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players**

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

The ATP is rumored to be shrinking men’s doubles draws and shifting prize money over to singles, part of what has been a slow retreat from doubles over the past few decades.

I don't agree with the decision and wanted to talk with someone who understands the ATP's side. Ben Rothenberg is a journalist who broke the news about the potential plans yesterday. He's also been on the show before (listen here).

Ben shares what he knows about what's happening, and the case the ATP has to make such a decision. I attempt to analyze the business logic, the marketing failures, and what it would take for doubles to grow without relying on singles stars.

We discuss:

• The reported draw size reductions at Masters 1000 and other ATP events
• Product 28 and why 2028 becomes a turning point
• Prize money reallocation from doubles to lower-ranked singles players
• Crowding, practice court access, and tournament footprint as drivers
• Why late-round doubles is valued more than early rounds
• Tennis TV production issues and how the viewing experience shapes demand
• Singles specialization and why the ATP singles players rarely play doubles
• The chicken and egg problem of marketing doubles
• What makes a “star” in tennis
• Social media and highlight restrictions that limit player promotion
• Whether a smaller doubles circuit could create more prominence

I'm not exactly satisfied with the conclusion of this conversation, but I want to keep it going to help move tennis and doubles forward.

Feel free to react by posting to Ben (@BenRothenberg) and me (@WillBoucek) on Twitter.

Learn more about Ben & follow:

• Instagram
• Twitter/X

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players**

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course