Bryan brothers facts for kids
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| Ages: 46 | Bob | Mike |
| Highest doubles ranking: |
1 (September 8, 2003) |
1 (September 8, 2003) |
| Men's Doubles titles: | 119 | 124 |
| Grand Slam Men's Doubles titles: |
16 titles: Australian Open (6): (2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013) French Open (2): (2003, 2013) Wimbledon (3): (2006, 2011, 2013) US Open (5): (2005, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014) |
18 titles: Australian Open (6): (2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013) French Open (2): (2003, 2013) Wimbledon (4): (2006, 2011, 2013, 2018) US Open (6): (2005, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2018) |
| Grand Slam Mixed Doubles titles: |
7 titles: French Open (2): (2008, 2009) Wimbledon (1): (2008) US Open (4): (2003, 2004, 2006, 2010) |
4 titles: French Open (2): (2003, 2015) Wimbledon (1): (2012) US Open (1): (2002) |
| Masters Men's Doubles titles: |
39 titles | 39 titles |
| Summer Olympics Men's Doubles: |
 Gold (London 2012) |
Gold (London 2012) |
 Bronze (Beijing 2008) |
Bronze (Beijing 2008) |
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| Pan Am Games Men's Doubles: |
Bronze (Winnipeg 1999) |
Bronze (Winnipeg 1999) |
| Davis Cup titles: | 1 title: (2007) |
1 title: (2007) |
| World Tour Finals: | 4 titles: (2003, 2004, 2009, 2014) |
5 titles: (2003, 2004, 2009, 2014, 2018) |
The Bryan brothers, identical twins Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan, are famous American tennis players. They are known as the most successful men's doubles team ever. They won more professional matches and tournaments than any other men's pair. They also earned many Olympic medals, including a gold medal in 2012.
The Bryan brothers were ranked as the world's No. 1 doubles team for a record 438 weeks. This included an amazing 139 weeks in a row! They finished as the top team at the end of the year ten times, which is also a record. Between 2005 and 2006, they reached seven major finals in a row. Together, the Bryans won 119 doubles titles. This includes 16 Grand Slam titles, which means they won all four major tournaments at least twice. They also won Olympic gold and bronze medals. They won four Tour Finals titles and a record 39 Masters events. They were also part of the winning United States Davis Cup team in 2007.
Bob and Mike were born on April 29, 1978. Mike is two minutes older than Bob. They are "mirror twins," which means one is right-handed (Mike) and the other is left-handed (Bob). This was a big advantage for them on the tennis court. They had several coaches throughout their careers, including David Macpherson and Phil Farmer. The brothers became professional players in 1998 and retired in August 2020. They were famous for their chest-bump celebration after winning points!
Contents
Amazing Records and Achievements
The Bryan brothers hold many impressive records in tennis history. On October 28, 2016, they won their 1000th match as a team. This was a huge milestone! After winning Wimbledon in 2013, they became the only doubles team in the Open Era to hold all four major titles at the same time. They also won an Olympic Gold medal during this period.
They are the only doubles team to have won every major title. This includes all four Grand Slams, an Olympic Gold medal, all 12 versions of the 9 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles, the ATP World Tour Finals, and the Davis Cup. They won a record 119 tour titles, which is much more than any other men's team. They won 16 Grand Slam titles, including the Australian Open six times, the French Open twice, Wimbledon three times, and the US Open five times. They are the only doubles team to have won all four Grand Slam titles at least twice. They also won the ATP World Tour Finals four times.
The brothers won the gold medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. They also won a bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. In 2007, they helped the United States win the Davis Cup. The ATP named them the Team of the Decade for both 2000–2009 and 2010–2019. They have a 25–5 record in Davis Cup doubles matches, which is the most wins ever by a USA doubles team.
Key Doubles Records
- Most titles as a team: 119 titles.
- Most Grand Slam titles as a team: 16 titles.
- Most Masters 1000 titles as a team: 39 titles.
- Most weeks at No. 1 as a team: 438 total weeks.
- Most consecutive weeks at No. 1 as a team: 139 consecutive weeks.
- Most year-end No. 1 rankings as a team: 10 times.
- First team to hold all four Majors and Olympic gold simultaneously.
- First team to achieve a "Career Golden Masters" (winning all nine current ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments).
Awards and Recognition
- ITF World Champion: 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
- ATP World Tour Fans' Favorite Team: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 (Mike with Jack Sock), 2019
- Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year: 2015 (for their charity work)
Early Tennis Journey
Bob and Mike started playing tennis very young. They won their first doubles tournament at age six in a 10-and-under event. They went to Mesa Union School and then Rio Mesa High School in California. They had an amazing junior career, winning over a hundred junior doubles titles together.
They won many national junior championships, including the USTA National Boys' 14 Doubles Championships in 1991. They also won the US Open junior boys' doubles title in 1996. In 1999, they won a bronze medal in men's doubles at the 1999 Pan American Games in Canada. This was their first time representing the United States as professionals.
Both brothers received full tennis scholarships to Stanford University in 1996. They played there until 1998, helping their team win the NCAA team title twice. In 1998, they won the NCAA doubles title, becoming the first brothers to do so since 1946. They finished that year as the No. 1 college doubles team.
Professional Career Highlights
The Bryans made their first Grand Slam appearance at the 1995 US Open. Their first tour win came in 1998 at the ATP Washington, D.C. tournament.
Becoming Champions (2001-2006)
The year 2001 was their first truly successful season. They won four titles, including their first ATP doubles title in Memphis. They became the first brothers to win four titles in a single season. In 2002, they won five ATP doubles titles, including their first ATP Masters Series title in Toronto.
In 2003, they reached their first Grand Slam final at the Roland Garros and won it without losing a single set. This win broke the record for most doubles titles by a brothers team. They became the first brothers duo to finish as the No. 1 team in the ATP rankings. They also won the Tennis Masters Cup at the end of the season.
In 2004, they won a career-best seven titles. They also represented the US at the Athens Olympics. In 2005, the Bryans reached all four Grand Slam finals in one year. They won their second Grand Slam title at the US Open. In 2006, they won the 2006 Australian Open. A few months later, they completed their career Grand Slam by winning Wimbledon.
Davis Cup Glory and Continued Success (2007-2011)
In 2007, the Bryans had an incredible year, winning 11 titles. They won the Australian Open again, only losing one set. They also won three Masters Series titles that year. They reached the Wimbledon finals but lost. Later that year, they helped the United States win the 2007 Davis Cup title.
In 2008, they won their first title of the season at the Miami Masters. They also won the Italian Open. At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, they won a bronze medal. They then won the US Open title.
In 2009, they won the Australian Open for the third time. They also won the ATP World Tour Finals, finishing the year as the World No. 1 Doubles Team for the fifth time.
In 2010, they successfully defended their Australian Open title, making it their fourth win there. They also won four Masters Series titles in a row. They won the US Open for their ninth major title. By September 6, 2010, they had been ranked No. 1 in doubles for 205 weeks, breaking a previous record. They ended 2010 with 11 titles.
In 2011, they defended their Australian Open title for the third straight year, earning their tenth Grand Slam title. They also won their second Wimbledon title, tying another record with 11 Grand Slam titles.
Record-Breaking Years (2012-2014)
The year 2012 was historic for the Bryans. They won their 20th Masters 1000 title in Monte Carlo. They won the Olympic gold medal at the London Olympics. This completed their career Golden Slam, meaning they had won all four Grand Slams and an Olympic gold medal. They then won the 2012 US Open, which was their 12th major title. This broke the record for most major titles in men's doubles in the Open Era.
In 2013, they won their sixth Australian Open title, setting a new record of 13 Grand Slam titles. They also won the Indian Wells Masters, which was the only Masters 1000 tournament they hadn't won yet. They continued their amazing run by winning their second French Open title and their third Wimbledon title. This made them the first team to hold all four major titles and the Olympic gold medal at the same time. They finished 2013 as the year-end No. 1 team for a record ninth time.
In 2014, they continued to dominate. They won their second Indian Wells Masters and their third Miami Open titles. They won their 98th team title in Monte Carlo, and Mike won his 100th doubles title. They won their 100th doubles title as a team at the 2014 US Open, which was also their 16th major title. They became the first doubles team to achieve a "Career Golden Masters" by winning all nine current ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments. They also became the first players to win six Masters 1000 titles in a single season. They finished 2014 as the year-end No. 1 team for the tenth time.
Later Career and Retirement (2015-2020)
In 2015, their record streak of 139 consecutive weeks at number 1 came to an end. They still won several titles, including their fifth Canadian Open. However, they did not win a major title that year for the first time since 2004.
In 2016, they won their sixth Houston title and their fourth Italian Open title. They reached the French Open final but lost. They decided not to play in the Rio Olympics due to concerns about the Zika virus.
On November 13, 2019, the brothers announced they would retire from professional tennis after the 2020 season. They ended up retiring a bit earlier than planned in August 2020, due to the global pandemic affecting sports events.
Family Life
The Bryan brothers' mother, Kathy Bryan, was also a professional tennis player. She played at Wimbledon four times. Their father, Wayne, is a lawyer, musician, and tennis coach. Both parents were very involved in their sons' careers and often participated in tennis events for kids. Wayne even wrote a book about raising his sons to be champions.
Personal Details
Bob and Mike Bryan are identical twins, born on April 29, 1978. Mike is two minutes older. Mike is 6 feet 3 inches tall and plays right-handed. Bob is 6 feet 4 inches tall and plays left-handed.
When they were younger, their parents didn't let them play against each other in tournaments. If they were supposed to play, one would simply let the other win. They both went to Stanford University and were part of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.
The Bryans also appeared on the TV show 8 Simple Rules. They were featured on the cover of Making Music Magazine in 2010.
Images for kids
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The Bryan Brothers win a gold medal in London.
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The Bryan Brothers triumphant at the 2013 US Open.
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