Masters Cup Doubles Preview: Bryans a Long Shot for No. 1 Ranking

But with only one event remaining, the No. 2-ranked Bryans need a "perfect storm" of results to take the coveted year-end No. 1 spot.

To overtake the top-ranked Bahamian/Canadian duo of Mark Knowles/Daniel Nestor, the twins need to win the Masters Cup Doubles as an undefeated team (no round robin loss), while world No. 1s Knowles/Nestor need to go 0-3 in round robin play.

Good luck.

So while their dream of a No. 1 year-end ranking is likely out of reach, the brothers can append their goal to the difficult task of successfully defending their MCD title from 2003.

This year the MCD field includes six returning teams from 2003 in Knowles/Nestor, the Bryans, the Swedish/Aussie pair of Jonas Bjorkman and Todd Woodbridge, the Indian/Belarus duo of Mahesh Bhupathi and Max "The Beast" Mirnyi, veteran Czechs Martin Damm and Cyril Suk, and the consistent Argentine squad of Gaston Etlis and Martin Rodriguez.

New this year are Wayne Black and Kevin Ullyett (last year's alternate team) and Roland Garros champions Xavier "X-Man" Malisse and Olivier "The Roach" Rochus. X-Man and The Roach finished the year at No. 16, but make the field via the "Grand Slam Rule" (if you win a slam and finish outside the Top 8 but still in the Top 20, you're in). Weak, yes, and a concession to the International Tennis Federation (ITF) which run the slams, and in concert with the ATP run the Masters Cup singles and doubles (see: Gaston Gaudio in the singles).

On Wednesday the ATP released the MCD draw, with world No. 1s Knowles/Nestor handed an easy time in the Red Group with Black/Ullyett, Damm/Suk and X-Man/The Roach. The difficult Blue Group features the Bryans, Bjorkman/Woodbridge, Bhupathi/The Beast, and Etlis/Rodriguez.

Frenchmen Michael Llodra and Fabrice "The Magician" Santoro, who last year lost to the Bryans in the five-set final, qualified this year but were forced to withdraw with Santoro's wrist injury.