Ten years ago, Bob and Mike Bryan tried the riskiest poach of their lives.

During their first United States Open title run, in 2005, the twins darted into the middle of a legal fray: They sued the ATP Tour.

The move from a tennis court to a court of law was a bold strategy to save doubles from extinction.

“Our backs are against the wall right now,” Mike Bryan said after he and Bob were named lead plaintiffs in a federal antitrust lawsuit against the ATP, the governing body for professional men’s tennis, which represents both players and tournaments. “If we don’t unite, there may not be a game of doubles.”

A decade later, doubles is an integral part of the men’s game, purses have nearly doubled, and doubles-only players continue to make a decent living on tour.

On Thursday, the U.S. Open will showcase the doubles semifinals during the day session, which will be free to the public.