WITH every year, comes a flurry of retirements across the tennis world. While the retirements of the following players may not seem quite as significant as the WTA Tour losses this year, there is no doubt these ATP Tour players were all stars in their own right, and were particularly dominant on the doubles circuit. 

Bryan Brothers

When it comes to doubles partners, very little people do not recognise the title “Bryan Brothers” when they hear it, with identical twins Bob and Mike Bryan a supremely threatening duo – not only for their winning ability and title of the most successful doubles duo of all time, but also their flair and persistence which saw their careers skyrocket over a 22-year period. With the shared record for the most times completing a season as the world number one doubles team – 10 times – the duo racked up 124 (Mike) and 119 (Bob) titles respectively, with a 2020 Delray Beach title in March the icing on the cake ahead of their impending retirement, which was announced in August. As a team, the Bryan Brothers won 16 grand slam titles, and were clearly at their most dangerous on hard court with six Australian Open titles and five US Open titles between 2003 and 2014. The duo also collected three Wimbledon wins and two Roland Garros wins, showcasing their versatility and ability to adapt. Individually, Bob racked up seven grand slam mixed doubles titles, including four more US Open victories, while Mike got four grand slam mixed doubles wins on the board, as well as back-to-back Wimbledon and the US Open men’s doubles victories in 2018 with Jack Sock.

Leander Paes

Often credited as one of the greatest individual doubles players of all time, there is no doubt the retirement of Leander Paes is a huge loss to the wider tennis community. With a whopping 54 titles – 55 if you include his lone singles title at Newport in 1998 – to his name across a career spanning almost 30 years, Paes’ ability to continue to develop his game and produce career-defining wins is what made him such a threatening prospect, even now at age 47. The Indian veteran may finish his career ranked 147th on the doubles circuit, outside the top 100 for the first time since October, 2000, but with his accolades – including 18 grand slams across both male and mixed doubles – and former world number one status, Paes will be remembered for much more than the way his career ended, ground to a halt by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Steve Darcis

Peaking at world number 38 in 2017, Steve Darcis’ retirement sees the Belgian complete his 17-year career with two titles to his name and plenty of strengths to speak about across his career. Typically at his most threatening on grass or hard courts, Darcis proved himself wrong with his debut title in 2007, winning on clay at Amersfoort and coming close the next year, almost going back to back but defeated by Albert Montañés. He collected his second title at Memphis in March, 2008. Also a prolific doubles player, Darcis did not win any titles on the doubles circuit but made it to the Roland Garros quarter finals in 2008 – arguably his most successful year on tour bar an impressive return in 2017 – and reached the third round at a grand slam four times across the singles and doubles circuits.

Santiago Giraldo

A former top 30 player, Colombian Santiago Giraldo may not quite have hit the heights of many other players during his time given the calibre of talent, but is the highest-ranked tennis player in Colombia’s history, with a close to 15-year career cementing him as a hugely successful name. While Giraldo completes his career with zero ATP Tour titles to his name, the Colombian was a consistent threat on tour with his ability to fly out of the blocks and shock some of the top players of the time, including the likes of Lleyton Hewitt, and Andy Murray among a flurry of top 10 talents throughout the years. A player who rarely stood down from a challenge, Giraldo’s peak ranking of 28th came in 2014, and although he hovered around that 30-mark for close to a year, making one final during that time but falling to Kei Nishikori, was unable to really break into that top echelon.