Bryan Brothers Win 1st US Open Title
Posted on September 10, 2005American twins Bob and Mike Bryan ended a three-slam finals losing streak on Friday, winning their first US Open title with a convincing 6-1, 6-4 win over world No. 1s Jonas Bjorkman and Max "The Beast" Mirnyi.
The first pair of brothers to win the US Open during the Open Era (since 1968), and the first dating to 1924, the Bryans were appearing in their fourth slam final of the year after runner-up efforts at the Australian Open, the French and Wimbledon. They are only the second doubles team to reach all four slam finals in the same year, joining Indian legends Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes.
"We almost completed the anti-slam," said Bob Bryan. "That would have been a feat. So win or lose, it was gonna be amazing."
With the win the brothers once again assume the top spot on the ATP team rankings, knocking out Bjorkman and Mirnyi in their hotly-contested run to the year-end No. 1 team ranking.
The Bryans are now 2-5 in slam finals, and have won four titles in 2005.
The win also elevated the Bryans head-to-head record against Bjorkman/Beast to 4-1, all coming this year.
In 2003 the Bryans lost in the US Open final to Bjorkman and now-retired partner Todd Woodbridge.
"We didn't want to go down as one of the only teams to lose all four slams," said Mike Bryan, who with Bob lost to Bjorkman/Beast in the French Open final earlier this year.
The first pair of brothers to win the US Open during the Open Era (since 1968), and the first dating to 1924, the Bryans were appearing in their fourth slam final of the year after runner-up efforts at the Australian Open, the French and Wimbledon. They are only the second doubles team to reach all four slam finals in the same year, joining Indian legends Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes.
"We almost completed the anti-slam," said Bob Bryan. "That would have been a feat. So win or lose, it was gonna be amazing."
With the win the brothers once again assume the top spot on the ATP team rankings, knocking out Bjorkman and Mirnyi in their hotly-contested run to the year-end No. 1 team ranking.
The Bryans are now 2-5 in slam finals, and have won four titles in 2005.
The win also elevated the Bryans head-to-head record against Bjorkman/Beast to 4-1, all coming this year.
In 2003 the Bryans lost in the US Open final to Bjorkman and now-retired partner Todd Woodbridge.
"We didn't want to go down as one of the only teams to lose all four slams," said Mike Bryan, who with Bob lost to Bjorkman/Beast in the French Open final earlier this year.