BRYAN BROTHERS LEAD TOP DOUBLES TEAM ENTRIES INTO RIVER OAKS IN HOUSTON TEXAS

Written by: Staff on 11th February 2014

BRYAN BROTHERS LEAD TOP DOUBLES TEAM ENTRIES INTO RIVER OAKS IN HOUSTON TEXAS

epa00766746 Mike and Bob Bryan of the USAcelebrate their victory over Fabrice Santoro of France and Nenad Zimonjic of Serbia-Montenegro in the men's doubles final for the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, Saturday 08 July 2006. EPA/LINDSEY PARNABY |

Four Top 20 Singles Players Are Also Committed

HOUSTON – Two of the top doubles teams on the ATP World Tour have committed to play the 2014 Fayez Sarofim & Co. US Men’s Clay Court Championship at River Oaks Country Club.

Bob and Mike Bryan, the twin-brother tandem that has won four titles at the US Men’s Clay Court Championship, and the Spanish duo of Fernando Verdasco and David Marrero, champions at the 2013 ATP World Tour Finals, have both committed to play at River Oaks April 7-13.

In addition, Verdasco will enter the singles field along with countryman Tommy Robredo. They join two other Spaniards – Nicolas Almagro and Feliciano Lopez – in the field, along with Americans John Isner, the event’s 2013 champion, and Sam Querrey, as well as Japan’s Kei Nishikori.

Robredo’s entry is the fourth from a singles player currently ranked in the Top 20 on the ATP World Tour.

The Bryans, who have made six finals at the US Men’s Clay Court Championship, have finished as the ATP’s No. 1 doubles time nine times. Today, Monday Feb. 10, Mike is beginning a record 366th week ranked as the individual No. 1 while Bob is beginning his 350th week in the top spot. With 11 titles in 2013, they now own a record 93 titles as a team, including the four in Houston as well as 15 at Grand Slam tournaments.

Marrero and Verdasco played together part-time in 2013, saving their best result for last with a title at the ATP World Tour Finals in London where they defeated the Bryans for the title. The duo also won the title last season in St. Petersburg, reached the final in Shanghai and reached three other semifinals before finishing as the No. 4 team on tour.

The left-handed Verdacso reached the quarterfinals or better six times in 2013 on the ATP World Tour. He has reached 18 ATP finals in his career and owns five titles.

Robredo won a pair of clay court titles in 2013, bringing his career total to 12 titles overall, 11 of which have been on clay. Robredo and Almagro, the 2013 River Oaks runner-up, are two of only four active players with more than 200 career match wins on clay. Robredo will be making his River Oaks debut.

“No question the Bryans are as popular as anyone who plays at River Oaks, and to add a second top team like David and Fernando really strengthens our doubles field,” said tournament director Van Barry. “Fernando and Tommy committing in singles further strengthens an already robust field. It’s shaping up to be a memorable tournament.”

In 2014, River Oaks Country Club will celebrate hosting a tournament for the 80th time since its inauguration in 1931. The upcoming tournament will also mark the 104th staging of the US Men’s Clay Court Championship.

Tickets for the 2014 Fayez Sarofim & Co. US Men’s Clay Court Championship are on sale now. For more information, please visit www.mensclaycourt.com.

US Men’s Clay Court Championship at River Oaks Country Club

In 2014, the River Oaks Country Club will celebrate the 80th professional tournament to be hosted in its historic stadium when the Fayez Sarofim & Co. US Men’s Clay Court Championship is held April 7-13. River Oaks first hosted its own tournament, The River Oaks International, in 1931, and its roster of former champions includes Jack Kramer, Tony Trabert, Rod Laver, Roy Emerson , Ken Rosewall, Ivan Lendl, Guillermo Vilas and James Blake. Houston is the 23rd city to host the US Men’s Clay Court Championship. The tournament came to Houston in 2001, and has been hosted at River Oaks since 2009. Started in 1910 by the USTA, the 2014 tournament is the 104th competition for the Clay Court Championship. More information is available at www.mensclaycourt.com.

Topics: 10sballs, Atp, Bob Bryan, Bryan Brothers, David Marrero, Doubles, Feliciano Lopez, Fernando Verdasco, John Isner, Kei Nishikori, Mike Bryan, Nicolas Almagro, Sam Querrey, Sports, Tennis, Tennis News, Tommy Robredo