In Davis Cup Qualifying, USA defeats Uzbekistan 4-0 to Reach Davis Cup Finals in Madrid in November
(March 7, 2020) It was a fitting end to a remarkable Davis Cup career for Bob and Mike Bryan, as the United States’ winningest Davis Cup doubles team defeated Uzbekistan’s Denis Istomin and Sanjar Fayziev, 6-3, 6-4, on Saturday in Honolulu to qualify the United States for the 2020 Davis Cup Madrid Finals in November.
Bob and Mike, who plan to retire following the 2020 US Open, finish with a 25-5 record together in Davis Cup, 11 more victories than the two teams tied for second (John McEnroe and Peter Fleming, Wilmer Allison and John Van Ryn). Mike’s 28 individual doubles victories also ranks first in team history, with Bob’s 26 in second.
“We’re always happy to do our job,” said Mike Bryan. “We treat these matches like huge Grand Slam matches.And to, you know, clinch — we have only done that a few times in our career, had the opportunity with the 2-0 lead to clinch, and feels really good. There’s no more special moment than running around with the flag at home, the crowd cheering.So, you know, to leave our Davis Cup career with that memory, that highlight, you know, was awesome.Because we were in a little bit of a sour taste in our mouth from Portland. I felt that that just wiped it clean.To win our 25th match for the country is pretty awesome.”
“As doubles players,Davis Cup, or doubles in this format is pivotal, and it’s always been the most important matches of our lives has been playing Davis Cup matches,” noted Bob Bryan. “The Saturday, back in the old format, was devoted only to doubles. You come out to a packed stadium, and it was all about, you know, us doing our job. We always played with energy. We always felt like the Davis Cup crowds would carry us and we’d play some really great tennis. A lot of our best stuff has been on the road, as well,playing in hostile environments.
“I think playing college tennis helped us prepare for that, you know. There’s nothing like the Georgia fans in Athens barking at you.So we felt pretty comfortable when we’d go down to Santiago or some of these places and fans were yelling at us. We were pretty unfazed. We felt pretty good.These are the matches that we’re going to remember.The losses, we’ll remember, even sometimes more than the wins, because they do hurt when you let down not just your country but your teammates and the staff and everyone is here to try to make you feel your best to get the win.You know, a few times we have had that feeling of devastation, and Portland was one of those times. That killed our whole summer. We were deflated. We didn’t go to Rio. We felt like we couldn’t. Couldn’t get out of bed. You know, tennis-wise, that was a tough time of our career.Yeah, this cleans, cleanses the palate, and it’s a great way to end in this part of our career.”
Following the end of the Bryans’ Davis Cup career was the start of Tommy Paul’s, the rising 22-year old getting the nod to play the dead fourth singles match. Paul defeated Istomin, 6-3, 6-0.
Fans that missed the action live can also watch Day 1 on CBS Sports Network on Sunday, March 8, at 7:00 AM EST, and Day 2 on Thursday, March 12, at 9:00 PM EST.
Related article:
US Leads Uzbekistan 2-0 at Davis Cup Qualifying Tie
