KRISTEN’S KOURT: Bryans Unable to Win Crucial Doubles Match on Day 2

Written by: Staff on 7th April 2013

KRISTEN'S KOURT: Bryans Unable to Win Crucial Doubles Match on Day 2 |

This hasn’t been the best year for Bob and Mike Bryan in Davis Cup competition. Their loss in Jacksonville, FL against Brazil was hard enough. But today, they went down for the second time this year in a situation that seemed to easily favor the top-ranked doubles team in the world.

The four-hour and 23 minute match began with visible signs of intensity from both teams. And the first two sets were about as close as it can get. The Serbians barely came out on top though, and that’s when the idea that the team of Zimonjic and Bozoljac could actually win this thing. But the Boise, Idaho crowd then began to do what Davis Cup fans do best – they got behind their home team and they cheered louder than any USA Davis Cup crowd has ever cheered (and I’ve been to quite a few Davis Cup ties so I’ve got personal experience in how vocal fans can get). It was that encouragement from the crowd that allowed the Bryan brothers to then kick it in to high gear and show why they’re not only the top doubles team in the United States, but in the world. While there was still some fight coming from the Serbians, the decision to not put in Novak Djokovic at the last minute began to seem like a poor judgment call.

One of the great (or not so great, depending on how you look at it) things of Davis Cup is that the doubles teams still play the traditional format of the game, as opposed to the altered and abbreviated “super tiebreak” format the ATP went to a few years ago. This means not only to they play best of five, but there is no tiebreak in the fifth set. And although the match had already been a grueling knock down, dragged out fight, it was only just beginning. As a fifth set, it was brilliant play by both teams. Numerous break points saved, amazing winners, and some unfortunate errors later, the team of Nenad Zimonjic and Ilija Bozoljac came out on top with a 7-6(5), 7-6(1), 5-7, 4-6, 15-13 win over the top ranked Americans, giving Serbia a 2-1 lead in the tie.

“We have to tip our hats to those guys, obviously,” said Bob Bryan. “Thought they played really well all day. Thirty-six aces, didn’t give us much opportunity, in the fifth especially. Just one of those things. Obviously disappointed we let the team down.”

“I want to thank Captain Courier for being there for four and a half hours, pushing us. I want to thank the crowd, they brought the energy all day long. That’s as vocal as we’ve seen a Davis Cup crowd in a long time. They were cheering on every point. Thanks to them. It was a fun match to play. Hate to be on the other side of it, but too good by those guys.”

Team USA isn’t out of it yet. There are still two singles matches to be played tomorrow, but both Sam Querrey and John Isner will need to be in top form for the Americans to even stand a shot at victory. Querrey (who provided a crucial win on Friday) will face world no. 1 Novak Djokovic in the first match, while John Isner (who wasn’t as lucky) will take on Viktor Troicki in the second.

Follow Kristen on Twitter! @KristensKourt and @10sballs_com

Topics: American tennis news, Bob Bryan, Bozoljac, Davis Cup, Mke Bryan, Serbian tennis news, Zimonjic