U.S. DAVIS CUP TENNIS UPDATE AS THE BRYAN BROTHERS GIVE UNITED STATES 2-1 LEAD, THE PRESSURE IS ON BERNIE TOMIC AGAINST BIG JOHN ISNER

Written by: Staff on 5th March 2016

U.S. DAVIS CUP TENNIS UPDATE AS THE BRYAN BROTHERS GIVE UNITED STATES 2-1 LEAD, THE PRESSURE IS ON BERNIE TOMIC AGAINST BIG JOHN ISNER

epa05195878 Mike Bryan (L) and Bob Bryan (R) of the USA reacts during their doubles match against Australian players Lleyton Hewitt and John Peers at the Davis Cup World Group first round tie between Australia and the USA at the Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club in Melbourne, Australia, 05 March 2016. EPA/TRACEY NEARMY AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT |

By Ricky Dimon

Bob and Mike Bryan gave the United States a 2-1 lead in the Davis Cup first round against Australia by holding off Lleyton Hewitt and John Peers 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 4-6, 6-3 at the Kooyong Club in Melbourne on Saturday afternoon. The Bryan Brothers prevailed after two hours and 30 minutes to put the momentum back on the visitors side after the tie was gridlocked at 1-1 following the first day of singles action.

The initial nomination paired Peers with Sam Groth, but Groth played singles on Friday and got thrashed by John Isner in straight sets. Hewitt, the team captain, decided to insert himself in doubles and the move almost paid off. The 35-year-old caught fire with his return of serve throughout the third and fourth sets but neither Hewitt nor Peers could solve the Bryans’ serves in the decider. One break of Peers for a 2-0 lead in the fifth was enough for Bob and Mike to get the job done.

Lleyton Hewitt (R) and John Peers (L) of Australia in action against US players Mike Bryan and Bob Bryan during their doubles match of the Davis Cup World Group first round tie between Australia and the USA at the Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club in Melbourne, Australia, 05 March 2016. EPA/TRACEY NEARMY

The Bryans are now 24-4 lifetime in Davis Cup together. Mike is 26-4, having also prevailed twice alongside Mardy Fish.

“I just think we did a great job of regrouping,” Bob assessed. “Credit to Mike–he hit a couple of great returns early in that fifth set.”

“The level was incredible from both sides of the net,” United States’ captain Jim Courier commented. “Obviously it got very complicated there after the second set. But they really put a stamp on it early in the fifth.”

Team USA can put a stamp on the tie when John Isner takes the court against Bernard Tomic for Sunday’s opening singles rubber. Their only previous meeting came four years ago on the hard courts of Delray Beach, where Isner coasted 6-3, 6-2.

This tie began with Isner crushing Groth 7-6(2), 6-2, 6-2. The Greensboro, N.C. native battled out of a 0-40 hole midway through the first set and cruised the rest of the way without dropping serve once. Tomic answered with a 7-6(2), 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 win over Jack Sock to even the overall score at 1-1.

John Isner of the United State plays a serve against Sam Groth of Australia during their match at the Davis Cup tie at the Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club in Melbourne, Australia, 04 March 2016. EPA/TRACEY NEARMY

The 20th-ranked Australian successfully made a quick turnaround after finishing runner-up last week on the hard courts of Acapulco. This particular grass court is bouncing higher than others for Isner, but any grass court favors Tomic. The 23-year-old is a former Wimbledon quarterfinalist (2011) and he advanced to the last 16 at the All-England Club in 2013.

“We need Bernie to win, so it’s pretty simple at the moment,” Hewitt explained. “So, you know, that’s obviously our main focus. He’s our No. 1 player; he’s the leader of the team. He played awfully well [on Friday] and we’re going to need that again out of him.”