Max Mirnyi sends out the new doubles message

London: Long considered the sidekick at any major tennis competition, the doubles game has all the good reasons to stand on its own.

"We have a great platform to promote doubles and that's what we are doing. We hope that more and more people realise that it's a great game and a great show.

"It's very dynamic now in this new format, and it's short and predictable for TV time. Hence, I see no reason for doubles to be a side show," doubles specialist Max Mirnyi told Gulf News.

Mirnyi teamed up with Andy Ram to stun the second-seeded brother duo of Bob and Mike Bryan in straight sets 6-4, 6-4 in their opening match for Group B here on Monday.

This has been the first full year for the veteran pair together on the ATP World Tour, before Ram reunites with longtime doubles partner Jonathan Erlich next season.

During the course of the 2009 season, Mirnyi and Ram have reached three ATP Tour Masters 1000 finals — their best performance coming up in the US Open quarterfinals against Nenad Zimonjic and Daniel Nestor.

Evolved

Mirnyi has qualified for the season finale six times in the past seven years and has won the title once with Jonas Bjorkman in 2006, in Shanghai. Since those early days, the doubles competition has evolved with the ATP putting in the extra effort to make it interesting and exciting.

One of the many aspects that has helped the doubles is how people, no matter their age, have been able to identify with the sport.

"For many years, there's been a separate site for singles and doubles. Now it being in the same venue, benefits doubles tremendously... ," Mirnyi said.