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DAVIS CUP FIRST ROUND

February 11, 2006

ROMANIA vs. USA , LA JOLLA, CALIFORNIA

TIM CURRY: Questions for Patrick or the boys.
Q. Not the way you wanted to win, but I guess you'll take it, huh?
BOB BRYAN: Yeah, we'll take it. We obviously started strong, so we leave the match feeling good about our selves. We came in, we wanted to, you know, get the team up 2-1, and that's what we did. I think we have a great shot for tomorrow. Andy is starting to feel better. He's going to go out there.
At least we could take out Hanescu. That's going to help out (laughing). He took out Pavel for us, now we did him a little favor.
Q. Is it sort of poetic justice because of what happened with Andy yesterday?
BOB BRYAN: Yeah, it was a strange tie. Andy got sick yesterday in a thrilling match, then Hanescu got hurt at 4-2. So you don't see that every day.
You know, it takes the joy out of it a little bit, but when we look back on our career and this tie, you know, it's only good memories. We've had a great week of practice with the guys.
Like Mike said, we're feeling good. We went out there and got an early break and, you know, broke their heart a little bit.
MIKE BRYAN: Hopefully, Victor is going to feel better.
BOB BRYAN: We did our part, I thought.
Q. Bob, were you disappointed that you didn't get a full match in with a great crowd here today?
BOB BRYAN: It was an awesome crowd, and you want to play a lot of tennis. But we did, we played the McEnroe brothers, and that was just as good. That was fun.
MIKE BRYAN: That was real awesome.
BOB BRYAN: The crowd stayed, so we got to enjoy the atmosphere. Playing here in southern California is special. To see everyone just stick around for another couple hours, that was really great to see.
MIKE BRYAN: We got to hang out with the fans after and soak it up a little bit.
Q. How are the McEnroe brothers?
CAPTAIN PATRICK McENROE: Ask me tomorrow morning (laughter). I haven't hit a serve in about a year. But that's okay. We had some fun.
The boys were good sports to stay out there. Yeah, it was a great atmosphere. The crowd was obviously juiced up; so were the guys. They came out on fire with the first game, Love-break, hit four huge returns. Sort of set the tone early.
Obviously, it would have been great to finish the match, but bottom line is we won the match. So, just like yesterday for Romania, the bottom line was they won the match, and Andy got sick. So we're up 2-1 and feeling good about our chances tomorrow.
Q. Mike, you were aced.
CAPTAIN PATRICK McENROE: Mike is never going to forget that.
BOB BRYAN: Never hit from the service line in your life (laughing).
Q. How will you be able to turn this around for the rest of the season?
MIKE BRYAN: Turn what around?
CAPTAIN PATRICK McENROE: Being aced by me.
MIKE BRYAN: I'm going to get over that. We're feeling good (laughing).
Q. Were you surprised to see Pavel was not playing doubles today? Second question, do you expect Hanescu tomorrow?
CAPTAIN PATRICK McENROE: I was a little bit surprised but, you know, I think Pavel was probably a little bit tired today. He played a great match, a long match. I know at least in the first few sets he had to work extremely hard, you know, to stay in there. He's obviously a veteran and, you know, I think it was a risky move to leave him out of the doubles. But, you know, at the same time, we were the heavy favorites no matter who they put in there in the doubles.
Do I expect to see Hanescu? I mean, I guess I expect it, but I guess from this time I'll expect the unexpected. Andy will be prepared either way.
Q. Can you give us an update on how Andy is feeling.
CAPTAIN PATRICK McENROE: Andy is feeling better. His energy is pretty good. Obviously, we got a lot of fluids in him last night and more in today. Just try to get him as much food as he can take. His stomach was still a little bit queasy earlier in the day. By the end of tonight and by tomorrow, he'll be ready to go.
Q. Has he hit?
CAPTAIN PATRICK McENROE: He has not hit. He had a workout on the bike and plenty of massage and stretching. My guess is that he probably won't hit today.
Q. You said on court you don't intend to play a Davis Cup match any time soon with Andy on the side. Could you talk about that, and also how has his role on the team evolved?
CAPTAIN PATRICK McENROE: I mean, obviously, in my other job we all look at Andy and try to figure out, you know, what he needs to do better from a playing perspective. But he set the bar very high for himself. I feel, like I said, I'll go into a match with him any time, any place, because he brings that type of effort and enthusiasm and intensity to every match he plays, particularly Davis Cup. He's a leader of this team now, and he's earned that right. I think I was asked yesterday well, you know, Andy's lost a couple of matches in Davis Cup. Yeah, he's also won two matches in Belgium and away from home on clay to help us get back into the World Group.
So we sort of forget that, you know, all the big matches that he has won, and he's going to win a lot more. As I said, I'll take him on my team any time, any place.
Q. Patrick, it looks like Hanescu might not play tomorrow. The captain might play Tecau.
CAPTAIN PATRICK McENROE: Tecau, obviously we saw him today a bit. That was the first I've heard of him. I know he's played a lot of challengers and been on the tour a couple years. He's obviously got some firepower.
BOB BRYAN: Sabau is 115.
CAPTAIN PATRICK McENROE: And Sabau is 115. So we'll do our homework. All our guys, particularly some of our younger guys, our practice guys, have played against these guys in the challengers and futures. So as soon as we know who we're playing, we'll get the scouting report and be prepared.
My concern is for Andy to be as healthy and as fresh as he can be. If he is, no matter who they play, I like his chances.
Q. Patrick, did you get the feeling today Romania was willing to sacrifice this match in order to freshen Pavel?
CAPTAIN PATRICK McENROE: I get the feeling a lot of teams do that because of who they're playing against. They realize when they go out and play the Bryans in doubles, they're heavy underdogs. So sometimes you'll see them maybe try to save a singles player for the final day in recognition that, you know, even if they put their so-called best team out there, they're probably going to lose.
So, you know, that may be part of their strategy. I like to win every point possible if I can get a point. That's their captain's decision.
We certainly felt, you know -- the guys felt extremely confident no matter who they played against. They played Pavel-Hanescu at the Australian and beat them very easily. Maybe that factored into their decision.
Q. Do you guys recall the first doubles tournament you played as partners, whether you were three years old or whatever?
MIKE BRYAN: I think it was when we were six years old. We played Lakeland Arrow (phonetic spelling), a novice local tournament. I think we won it. We played in the finals of singles. That was three trophies --
BOB BRYAN: Four trophies.
MIKE BRYAN: It was huge (laughter).
Q. What was the name of it?
BOB BRYAN: The Lakeland Arrow Junior Novice (phonetic spelling)
CAPTAIN PATRICK McENROE: Wayne probably remembers better than them. He's sitting here.
Q. (Inaudible)?
MIKE BRYAN: Yeah, that was huge.
BOB BRYAN: We were freshmen in high school. We sat out all year, a few months, then they activated us right when Santa Barbara came down and brought their B squad. They activated us that day. Santa Barbara wasn't ready for it.
MIKE BRYAN: It was a dirty trick, dirty warfare.
Q. I kept waiting to see you guys do those chest bumps. I don't think I ever saw one.
MIKE BRYAN: I was actually looking for one.
BOB BRYAN: Mike was looking for one.
MIKE BRYAN: He brushed me off.
BOB BRYAN: We were saving our energy. We thought it was going to be a long match. We were pacing our self. We were going to break it out late, but it never happened.
Q. If it does come down to James versus Andrei, what does James have to do in that matchup?
CAPTAIN PATRICK McENROE: I like that matchup a lot for us. James has been very impressive. I mean, I thought he played a great match yesterday. I just love the way he's playing, you know. He's aggressive. He's playing with some percentage in his game, but he's taking the ball early. He's serving well. His backhand is becoming a bit of a weapon now, you know, where it was, before, he obviously was looking just to not get hurt with it. Now he can hurt his opponents with his backhand, and, you know, that's making his forehand even better. I love the way he's using his speed, you know, for defensive purposes.
Pavel is obviously a solid player. He's a veteran player. I like that matchup. I think James is playing with a lot of confidence, and, you know, if need be, he'll be ready.
Q. Do you see James going to the very top?
CAPTAIN PATRICK McENROE: I think he's got an excellent chance to make a significant run this year, yeah. What that is, I'm not going to predict it. But I think his game is, you know, ready to go up a level or two.
Q. Patrick, is there any chance at all that Andy doesn't play tomorrow?
CAPTAIN PATRICK McENROE: No.
MIKE BRYAN: Who's coming in? Mike Bryan. Serve and volley.
CAPTAIN PATRICK McENROE: Unless he wakes up in the morning and can't walk. But, no, I don't see that happening.
Q. Mike and Bob, now that you've beaten the McEnroes, between all the brothers here, do you have a ranking order?
CAPTAIN PATRICK McENROE: I have to practice my serve.
MIKE BRYAN: We were talking about that at dinner. Has to go Bryans, McEnroes. Then Blakes and Roddicks have got to be tied.
BOB BRYAN: Have to have a brother tournament one of these days.
CAPTAIN PATRICK McENROE: He's got to be nice to the captain and say that (laughter).
Q. You'd throw them off the team if they didn't.
CAPTAIN PATRICK McENROE: Basically, yeah. They have to say that.
Q. (Inaudible)?
CAPTAIN PATRICK McENROE: Probably not, no. I'm not that stupid.

End of FastScripts...

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DAVIS CUP FIRST ROUND

February 11, 2006

Bob Bryan

Mike Bryan

Patrick McEnroe