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DAVIS CUP QUALIFYING: USA VS UZBEKISTANMarch 7, 2020Mike BryanBob BryanHonolulu, Hawaii BRYAN-BRYAN/Istomin-Fayziev Team USA - 3 Team Uzbekistan - 0 6-3, 6-4 THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. Gentlemen, congratulations. Well played out there today. Talk about the tennis a little bit, especially at 5-0 when they made things a little more complicated. What did you find the challenge to be in their tennis today? BOB BRYAN: Yeah, we came out hot. We didn't miss any returns. Got on them early. They held at 5-0 and played a really good game to break Mike, and they kind of sunk their teeth into the match. Yeah, we had them kind of staggering. It could have gotten ugly had we held Mike's serve. But, you know, then they settled down a little bit. They're a difficult team. They do the right things. They have played together in some big matches before. The scouting report we had on them was from Glasgow against Murray and Inglot where they were up a set and had set points to go two sets to love. We knew they could play. We knew they like to move, and they weren't going to just let us sit there and hit crosscourt returns and do what we do. They were going to move and play like a doubles team. So we had a lot of material on them, actually. We knew they were very comfortable on the doubles court. Q. Mike, obviously there has been many moments that you guys have had big moments walking on a Grand Slam court or what have you. What was the feeling like today walking out there, knowing what the occasion was? MIKE BRYAN: Yeah, I mean, I think Mardy keeps us really loose. It's kind of a fun atmosphere in the locker room before. Everyone is joking around. So we knew we wanted to treat this like a huge match. We really wanted to perform well on our last Davis Cup match and wanted to clinch. But it's different with the young guys. They are so fun to be around. I think it's just a great crop of guys, all solid dudes. And then playing for Mardy was a blast, having him on the court, seeing him, we have been around for so many years, having one of our peers coach us. But we really wanted to come out and play a great match in our last match, and I thought we did. I thought we both played a high quality match. Q. Was that around-the-net post shot, that was a pretty great point up to that point, and then the way it ended was awesome. BOB BRYAN: Yeah, it was cool to pull a highlight out of that match. Doubles can be quick-paced and a lot of short points. It was fun to be a part of a point with good reflex volleys with Mike. I knew when he hit that angle and hit the net, I knew I had to be patient and let that thing get the width. Once I saw the geometry, I knew what I had to do. I just went for the low skimmer (smiling). If you can make those, they are unplayable, but it was a fun one. I'll have to see the replay, but I know I'll be looking at it in a couple minutes. Q. You have had a long historic career and you're finishing it here in Honolulu, I'm guessing your first time playing here since we haven't had Davis Cup here for 30 years. How were you received here? How did you find the city? Give me your overall impression of Honolulu. MIKE BRYAN: Looking back on our whole career, this was just a really fun week. Had to be in the top five. We've played over 30 ties. I just had a great time. Walking downstairs and being on the beach, there are so many great shops and restaurants. It just was a really relaxed, chill time. It's just a great way to prepare for a really important match. So, I mean, first time in Oahu, we loved it. We are coming back at tourists. BOB BRYAN: Yeah, it was our first time ever here. We've been to Hawaii many times, Big Island and Maui. But, yeah, that's a great spot. I was out there surfing with my kids. My wife loves surfing. She goes every day. We had beautiful rooms looking down on the turtles. Great restaurants every night, you know. The USTA picked a great spot. I mean, we're always well taken care of no matter where it is. USTA does it first class. We're lucky to be able to play with the U.S. for this many years, because the Davis Cup weeks are very comfortable. We always get great work in during the weeks, and we have access to the best doctors and physios. Usually stay in some pretty sweet hotels. Q. What was that feeling, knowing it was your last Davis Cup match but then knowing you send the U.S. to Madrid? MIKE BRYAN: We're always happy to do our job. 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. Q. There has obviously been a lot of conversation about Davis Cup and the changes it's undergone in the last couple years. I think it's meant a lot to you guys in your career. How do you package into a couple sentences what Davis Cup has meant to you? BOB BRYAN: Yeah, I mean, look, 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. 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. Q. You're definitely not going to Madrid? A BRYAN BROTHER: If we get the call? We'll take the racquets out of the closet. (Laughter.) A BRYAN BROTHER: Dust them off. Might get a little rusty by then. BOB BRYAN: We'd love to be part of the USA team in any capacity, just to come and hang out with the guys, help out with the doubles, adding any bit of expertise. But, yeah, just to be cheerleaders, Net Heads. MIKE BRYAN: Yeah, Net Heads. Q. Would you actually go to Madrid? BOB BRYAN: I would love to be a part of the Davis Cup week. Just kind of pull a little bit of pressure out of it, and might have even more fun. Q. You guys did withdraw from Rio, and I think there was some Zika concerns? MIKE BRYAN: Yeah, it was a little bit of Zika, a little bit of -- yeah, we were devastated from Portland. You know, our team was up 2-zip, counting on us to clinch it on Saturday. We felt like we let the team down. We tried hard, but... BOB BRYAN: I think he's going the Corona route. Q. Just more the curiosity of what you saw this week, precautions taken here. Indian Wells has announced that you guys won't handle your own towels. Ball kids will also be wearing gloves at Indian Wells. A lot of events around the world are being canceled. Not in tennis. The tour continues. Just your thoughts on... A BRYAN BROTHER: I mean, look, we see the numbers in the press, and, you know, there is a lot of hype behind it, and everyone is taking precautions. Everyone has got a bottle of Purell in their pocket, and we are sanitizing our hands and giving fans fist pumps and trying not to grab their phones and take selfies. We are doing everything they tell us, so, I mean, I guess that's all we can do. I think we would be safe playing a tennis tournament. I don't know if events should be canceled. But if a tournament is going to struggle on ticket sales and it's going to impact their finances, they want to move it to another week, we're totally fine with that, but, yeah, you know, I guess once it starts hitting family members and people we know, then it will become more real. But right now it's in the press, and I haven't seen any impact with my own eyes yet, so it's hard to say. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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