WHAM, BAM, GOODBYE SLAM: The Bryan brothers’ campaign for a calendar year Grand Slam came to a close today, two matches from the finish line. Leander Paes and Radek Stepanek crashed the party with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory that saw the Bryans valiantly fight back from a 5-1 deficit in the clincher before going down. “Today all that kind luck that’s been on our side worked against us,” Mike reflected after the match.
In the aftermath of what Bob said was one of their top 10 toughest losses, both Bryans made it clear that they’d been feeling the pressure of their quest. “I don’t know about Mike,” Bob said, “but I’ve had a tough time sleeping in the last couple of weeks.” Mike agreed: “Every point just becomes a little bigger, every moment … You know, we really wanted it. We could taste it. Sometimes you want it too much.”
A bit lost in the hoopla and crash is the little fact that Bob and Mike pulled off the Bryan Slam, winning four Slams in a row, beginning with last year’s Open. “Once we did that [won the Bryan Slam], the media shifted toward the calendar year Grand Slam,” Bob said. “So it’s a never ending run of history and records, and there is always something on the horizon.”
Though he’s dubious about the chances of ever vying for another calendar Slam, Mike embraces the unknown challenges to come. “That’s what makes this sport fun—there is always the next goal.”
Leave it to the brothers—who, for the sake of perspective, noted that Bob’s daughter is too young to care about Grand Slams—to come up with a fitting familial metaphor for their story this year. “It’s the just the way Mother Tennis give you some great moments and she gives you some tough pain,” said Mike. “That’s the nature of our sport.”
JUST WONDERING: Did the Bryan brothers’ telepathic twindom, so often touted as key to their success on the doubles court, figure in their defeat today, with both Bob and Mike left flat-footed when Leander Paes and Radek Stepanek reeled off a string of games in the third set? … Could you find another team who’d relish the role of spoiler more than Paes and Stepanek?
MAGIC MAN: On the subject of coming back from a one-set deficit against the Bryans, doubles king Leander Paes served up a little metaphysical philosophy: “I think it’s about understanding what our magic is.”
ONE-HANDED, TWO PLAYERS: With Richard Gasquet and Stanislas Wawrinka in the semifinals of the Open, the flairful and versatile one-handed backhand isn’t vanishing while Roger Federer is having a rough patch. After Wawrinka defeated defending champ Andy Murray 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 in the quarterfinals today, Inside Tennis asked him about the much-loved shot:
Inside Tennis: Four words come to mind—big, bold, beautiful, backhand. Could you talk about [the shot]? If you could choose again, would you stick with the one-hander? … Give us a little defense on how wonderful the one-handed backhand is.
Stanislas Wawrinka: I’m quite happy with my backhand, that’s for sure. That’s one of my best shots in tennis.
Sometimes, it’s not that easy, especially to return the serve. And especially when you play Rafa on clay court it’s quite difficult to have [a] one-handed backhand.
In general, no, I change when I was 11 because my two-handed backhand was not good enough … It’s all about practice.
GO FIGURE: As Roger Federer descends from the top of the rankings, his Swiss countryman and fellow father Stanislas Wawrinka steps forward with a career-best Slam performance … Likewise, as Federer cedes center stage, the first “Baby Fed,” Richard Gasquet, is experiencing a resurgence … The singles Grand Slam has been won six times, once each by Don Budge, Maureen Connolly, Margaret Court, and Steffi Graf, and twice by Rod Laver … The more elusive doubles Grand Slam has been by just three teams—Frank Sedgman and Ken McGregor; Margaret Court and Ken Fletcher; and Martina Navratilova and Pam Shriver—though Court, Maria Bueno, Owen Davidson, and Martina Hingis have collected calendar Slams with more than one partner.
MORE THAN A SYMBOL: Federer has an old school elegant insignia bearing his initials, while Nadal’s logo is a graphic bull. That tells you about all you need to know.
PUN OF THE DAY: No, it doesn’t come from Inside Tennis. During the Bryan brothers’ press conference, one reporter aptly described their victorious foes Leander Paes and Radek Stepanek as “a prickly pair.”
CREATING A SUPERPLAYER: Mark Knowles suggested that a best player of all time might be created by fusing Gael Monfils’ athletic ability and David Ferrer’s determination and mental toughness.
THE BURDEN OF VICTORY: Bob Bryan described his and brother Mike’s doubles defeat as “a little bit of a relief” after months of pressure from the Grand Slam quest, while Andy Murray said it was “natural” for there to be a lag time firing himself up again after winning Wimbledon.
GREAT SCOTS: “007 in our corner today. Shweet. #usopen2013,” tweeted Judy Murray, in response to Sean Connery’s presence at the US Open.
STUDY IN CONTRASTS: A fatigued-sounding Andy Murray held his post-match press conference so quickly after his match that he was still sweaty. A beaming Stan Wawrinka received applause when he entered the press room for his commanding performance against Murray. “Today, for sure, it’s my moment,” he said.
LOVE IN: Graceful in defeat, signing autographs as they left the court, the Bryan brothers later described the outpouring of appreciation and support after their loss as “an avalanche of love.”
STRINGS OF LIFE: Early in the Open, the New York Times’ Ben Rothenberg wrote a piece on world No. 1 Paula Ormaechea, who strings her own rackets. On tour, Ormaechea travels with the same 13-pound racket stringer her parents gave her as a kid.
