This Date in U.S. Open History: September 2

Every morning during the U.S. Open, Richard Pagliaro will take a look back at a significant match that took place on that calendar day.

September 2, 2005: Doubles Players Announce Lawsuit Against ATP

Doubles players joined forces as plaintiffs in filing a lawsuit in a Southern District Texas Federal Court against the ATP and members of its board of directors.

Grand Slam doubles champions Mark Knowles, Bob Bryan, Mike Bryan, Mahesh Bhupathi, and Jonas Bjorkman were among the players who joined their attorneys in speaking at a 10 a.m. press conference inside Arthur Ashe Stadium to announce the lawsuit. The players voiced their opposition to the ATP's experimental scoring system proposed for that fall that would have shrunk doubles sets to five games rather than six with a tiebreaker at 4-4. Additionally, an ATP initiative proposed to go into effect in 2008 would have permitted only the top six to eight doubles teams entry into tournaments, while denying lower-ranked doubles players entry into in tournaments if they did not also qualify for the singles draws. Doubles veterans contended the proposed enhancements would effectively eradicate several doubles specialists and jeopardize the integrity of the game.

“There is no credibility left for the ATP," Knowles said. "They are basically trying to annihilate one form of the game, which is doubles."

Suggesting that the ATP’s proposed changes were driven by a few tournament directors as a cost-cutting measure, Knowles said doubles players made repeated concessions before concluding that taking their case to court was the only recourse to spare doubles specialists a death sentence.

“My stance on it is we have to fight," Knowles said. "This time when the tournament directors were shooting they wanted to see how many bullets were in the gun. When I discussed the 2008 initiatives (at a recent ATP meeting), half to three quarters of the tournament directors in the room had no idea what I was referring to. I really get the feeling there are two or three people totally speaking for the bunch.”

Ultimately, the players and the ATP came together to announce a modified doubles initiative that both sides publicly supported.

This Date in U.S. Open History

August 27:The defending champion survives his opener (1985)
August 28:Jimmy Connors' legendary run begins (1991)
August 29: Pierce rises from the dead (2003)
August 30:Santoro, Blake put on a show (2007)
August 31: Agassi's final, epic victory (2006)
September 1:Sampras' win streak snapped (1997)
September 2:Doubles players announce lawsuit vs. ATP (2005)
September 3:Safin survives in breakthrough tournament (2000)
September 4:A bizarre Williams vs. Williams match (2005)
September 5:Unbreakable: Pete vs. Andre (2001)
September 6:A Seles-Capriati classic (1991)
September 7: The late show with Agassi and Blake (2005)
September 8:Venus' late comeback vs. Hingis (2000)
September 9:Sharapova feels pretty powerful (2006)