Bryan brothers break Woodies’ doubles record
Bob and Mike Bryan became the most successful men’s doubles team in history in Los Angeles this weekend, as they won their 62nd title together to move one ahead of Hall of Fame duo Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde.
Since May, the Bryan brothers and the Woodies had been tied on 61 team doubles titles apiece, and while two Grand Slams slipped by without the American twins seizing the record in their own right, back on their own stomping ground at the Farmers Classic in LA, they did just that.
Not that the little-known pairing of Eric Butorac and Jean-Julien Rojer made it easy for them, taking the first set from the 32-year-old brothers in a tiebreak before Bob and Mike turned things around to secure the 6-7(6), 6-2, 10-7 victory.
The victory came in the pair’s 100th doubles final together, and was their sixth in Los Angeles. There are no prizes for guessing how they celebrated it either – the pair launching into their hallmark chest bump before embracing on court.
“Sixty-two brings a smile to our face. It’s been an emotional ride, talking about it every day for the past couple of months. To finally do it is incredible,” Bob said after the match, which was attended by Woodforde, whose retirement in 2000 brought an end to what had been the most tennis’ most successful doubles pairing.
"For many, many years you've been travelling in elite company. Thanks to the victory today you're in rarefied air," Woodford said. “I know you two will continue for years to come. The floodgates will open entirely, so I know 70, 80 will come."
While the Bryan brothers cemented their place among tennis’ elite with the victory in LA, in Stanford, Bob’s 2010 Wimbledon mixed doubles partner Lindsay Davenport teamed with doubles stalwart Liezel Huber to claim the title at the Bank of the West Classic, a tournament that marked the mum-of-two’s return to the WTA Tour on the doubles circuit.
Davenport and Huber will also team up to play the doubles in San Diego this week.
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