Bryan Brothers Announce 2020 as Last Season on Tour

November 14, 2019 | By New York Tennis Magazine Staff
Bryan Brothers (26)
Photo Credit: Brian Coleman/NY Tennis Magazine

 

The most successful doubles team in tennis history will compete in their final season on tour in 2020, as Bob and Mike Bryan announced their impending retirement on Tennis Channel on Wednesday evening.

“We wanted to see if we wanted to keep going and we’ve decided that 2020, at the [US] Open, we’re going to shut it down,” said Mike. “One more season—and we’re excited for it.”

The 41-year-old identical twins have compiled a phenomenal career that includes holding the world number one ranking for 438 weeks, 16 Grand Slam titles and were finalists in 14 Grand Slams.

“I would say the most satisfying win was 2009, winning the ATP World Tour Finals,” said Bob. “We finished No. 2 the year before to [Nenad] Zimonjic and [Daniel] Nestor, and we were just devastated. Mathematically, we had a shred of a chance of finishing No. 1 when we arrived in London. We needed them to help us out by losing a bunch and then we needed to win the tournament. It came down to just that, and we ended up finishing No. 1 in the world by about 35 ranking points.”

Their list of accolades goes on and on, including five US Open titles, but the pair hopes to make it six titles in Flushing Meadows when they compete in their final professional event next year.

“Obviously a very difficult decision, big decision—we’ve been on tour for 21 years, more than half our lives,” Bob added. “Tennis is in our blood, so it feels like a part of us is dying.”

 


New York Tennis Magazine Staff
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