The greatest doubles team in tennis history, Floridians Bob and Mike Bryan gear up for this month’s Miami Open.
Bob and Mike Bryan in their West Coast home in Camarillo, California. The brothers won their 100th doubles title at last year’s US Open.
One might imagine the childhoods of Bob and Mike Bryan—identical twin brothers who’ve broken almost every record in tennis doubles history—to have been Tiger Woods-esque. In actuality, the boys’ parents took the opposite approach, encouraging them to “fall in love” with the sport as fans before allowing them on the court. “They definitely used side-door motivation,” says Mike. “Our love for the sport is why we are still playing tennis today at [the age of] 36.”
The fact that the twins spent the first 30 years of their lives honing their game together didn’t hurt either. “We developed as a tight unit,” says Bob, who believes each brother took advantage of the other’s strengths to escalate his own abilities. “I had the number-one player in the country right down the hall to hit with every day... You don’t want to be the worse twin; you want to carry your weight on the court.”
The men also credit their idol, Andre Agassi, for developing their desire to win, even copying the pink spandex shorts he wore. Today the Bryans consider Agassi a close friend. Mike competed against him at the 2001 US Open—his only Grand Slam singles match—and lost. “I was so nervous trying to figure out a way to beat this guy who was just a god to me,” Mike says. Echoes Bob, “[Agassi was] basically the reason we played tennis.”
Bob and Mike practicing their game at Spanish Hills Country Club in preparation for this month’s Miami Open in Key Biscayne.
Last year, the brothers earned their 100th career title—the most of any doubles team in history—at the 2014 US Open. And although they felt it was a dream come true, it also came as “kind of a relief,” says Mike, due to the intense media buildup surrounding their milestone achievement.
As the brothers prepare for this month’s Miami Open, the men credit their strict nutrition regimen for giving them an edge on the court. Mike led them into gluten-free diets roughly 10 years ago, and they’ve both felt major improvements since. Mike also depends on Vega Sport supplements, fish oil, and Chinese herbs to maintain his good health. “I feel better now [at 36] than I did at 25,” he notes.
Mike, who currently lives in Tampa, says he’ll join his brother in Miami ahead of the tournament because “I feel like there’s a little piece missing” when he’s away from his twin for too long. Their bond is so strong, in fact, that Mike admits it can arouse a little jealousy in their wives. “That’s a factor we have to negotiate, but they’re just going to have to deal with it,” he jokes.
Down the road, the Bryans also aim to compete in the 2016 Olympics in Rio, which Mike says, “is what we view as maybe our swan song.” After that, they will consider careers as college tennis coaches or potentially starting an academy. After all, says Bob, “Tennis is our life, it’s really what we’re experts at.” The Miami Open takes place Monday, March 23, through Sunday, April 5, at Crandon Park Tennis Center, 7300 Crandon Blvd., Key Biscayne; for tickets, call 305-442-3367 or visit miamiopen.com.