BRYAN BROTHERS RECOVER FROM BRINK OF ELIMINATION, DOUBLES STILL STEAL THE SHOW IN LONDON BY RICKY DIMON

Written by: Staff on 12th November 2014

BRYAN BROTHERS RECOVER FROM BRINK OF ELIMINATION, DOUBLES STILL STEAL THE SHOW IN LONDON BY RICKY DIMON

epa03652172 Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan of the US (R-to-L) watch the ball against Ilija Bozoljac and Nenad Zimonjic of Serbia during the 2013 Davis Cup World Group quarter final at Taco Bell Arena in Boise, Idaho, USA, 06 April 2013. EPA/JOHN G. MABANGLO |

Bob and Mike Bryan were three games away from falling to 0-2 in matches and 0-4 in sets at the World Tour Finals, a predicament that would almost certainly have been impossible to overcome. Instead, the Bryan Brothers stormed back from a set and 3-1 deficit to beat Jean-Julien Roger and Horia Tecau 6-7(4), 6-3, 10-6 on Wednesday afternoon.

Throughout the entire proceedings, a developing trend saw the Bryans play far better from behind than they did from ahead. A total of four service breaks–two for each duo–occurred in the first set, with the brothers going out in front only to give back breaks at both 2-1 and 4-3. With momentum in hand heading into the tiebreaker, Rojer and Tecau took it seven points to four.

The Bryans seemed to be on the fast track out of London when they trailed 3-1 in the second. They apparently had other ideas, however. The Americans reeled off four consecutive games to seize control and survived a deuce game on serve at 5-4 to force a super-tiebreaker.

But Bob and Mike were not done making comebacks. The quickly went down two mini-breaks at 4-0 in the decider, once again looking like their stay in London would be a short one. Nonetheless, the Bryans quickly leveled things at 5-5 and ultimately won 10 of the match’s last 12 points.

It was wildly entertaining affair, complete with impressive exchanges from both the back of the court and at net. The quality and competitiveness was not unlike what we have seen from doubles throughout the World Tour Finals. Three matches have progressed to super-‘breakers and the five most recent doubles tilts have featured at least one tiebreaker–either regular or 10-point.

In Tuesday evening’s doubles match, Ivan Dodig and Marcelo Melo clinched a semifinal spot by winning a 7-6(5), 7-6(12) over Marcel Granollers and Marc Lopez. Lasting one hour and 56 minutes, it remains by far the longest match of the week–either singles or doubles. Dodig and Melo saved three set points in the second and finally capitalized on their fourth match point.

That had been preceded by a 6-4, 5-7, 10-4 win for Frenchmen Julien Benneteau and Edouard Roger-Vasselin over Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonjic on Tuesday afternoon.

Rojer and Tecau, meanwhile, have dropped each of their contests in super-tiebreakers. Before succumbing to the Bryan Brothers, they fell 6-3, 3-6, 12-10 at the hands of Alexander Peya and Bruno Soares on Monday. Peya and Soares had to save a match point at 9-10 in the ‘breaker and manage to do it by winning a furious exchange at the net during which Rojer and Tecau had several chances to put away volleys.

By comparison, in seven singles matches there has not been a single three-setter and only one tiebreaker has taken place. No singles match has required more than one hour and 35 minutes.

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand.

Topics: ATP World Tour Finals, Bryan Brothers, Horia Tecau, Jean-Julien Roger, London, tennis doubles, tennis updates

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10sBalls_com says:

November 12, 2014 at 11:09 am

#BryanBrothers RECOVER FROM BRINK OF ELIMINATION, DOUBLES STILL STEAL THE SHOW IN #LONDON BY @RD_Tennistalk http://t.co/Z8EArtrc3L #tennis
RD_Tennistalk says:

November 12, 2014 at 11:56 am

RT @10sBalls_com: #BryanBrothers RECOVER FROM BRINK OF ELIMINATION, DOUBLES STILL STEAL THE SHOW IN #LONDON BY @RD_Tennistalk http://t.co/Z…