In the pantheon of all-time tennis greats, whether representing the Stars and Stripes or otherwise, there is no doubt that the Bryan Brothers take a back seat to no one. Almost never have, and definitely never will.
From their on-court talent to their longevity to their winning (lots and lots of winning), Bob and Mike have not only carved out Hall of Fame careers for themselves, but have posted numbers that are nothing short of staggering: 109 ATP Tour titles as a team, 16 Grand Slam tournament victories, four World Tour Finals trophies and standing on the podium in the Olympic Games in London with gold around their necks.
That is why it was almost mind-boggling to find out that the brothers went into their most recent tour stop in Montréal trying to pull off a first in their illustrious careers. They had won the Rogers Cup, an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 series event, four times going into last week, but all of those conquests took place in Toronto. (The men and women alternate each year between playing the event in Toronto and Montréal).
Last Sunday, that blank box was officially checked off as the Bryans won a thrilling final against the home favorite, Canadian Daniel Nestor, and Frenchman Édouard Roger-Vasselin, winning 10-6 in the super tiebreak after the teams split the first two sets. The victory gave the Bryans their 109th career tour title, as well as three championships out of three to start the 2015 U.S. Open Series. In two weeks time, Bob and Mike hope to add a sixth U.S. Open trophy to their already crowded mantel.
After their semifinal victory in Montréal over Alexander Peya and Bruno Soares, A Lot of Sports Talk‘s Adesina O. Koiki caught up Bob and Mike for a one-on-one (on one) interview, as the Bryans reflect on almost 20 years playing professionally together. In the conversation, the Bryans talk about the thrill of winning in Montréal, the importance of David Macpherson – the former tour professional who has been their coach for the past 10 years – as well as how long they want to continue to play on tour before hanging up their tennis shoes.
Stay tuned to A Lot of Sports Talk for continuing coverage of the U.S. Open Series, including coverage of the Connecticut Open, which starts on Aug. 21. Enjoy the interview.
[Cover photo (Bob, Mike Bryan) courtesy of Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images]
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