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U.S. OPENSeptember 5, 2013Mike BryanBob BryanNEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK PAES‑STEPANEK/Bryan‑Bryan THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. Can you describe your emotions right now? BOB BRYAN: I mean, yeah, we're very disappointed. I mean, as competitors we hate to lose, and we knew what was riding on this match and the opportunity of what we could have accomplished. Got that. And then in one sense it's, you know, it's a little bit of a relief where you get to kind of exhale for the first time in a few months. You know, all this Grand Slam talk has been in the back of our head, and it's been an honor to be a part of this run with Mike. It's been a great 12 months. You know, we would have never dreamed it would have been this sweet and we would have scraped out this many close matches. Today all that kind luck that's been on our side went against us. Those guys played a great match, and, you know, we wish them luck in the finals. But, yeah, it's a little bit of a relief. You know, now we can move on and work on the next run (smiling). Q. It's a tremendous obviously opportunity that you had before you, but opportunities can also be burdens. How much of a burden has it been? BOB BRYAN: I don't know about Mike, but I have had a tough time sleeping in the last couple weeks. MIKE BRYAN: Yeah, I mean, it's been in the back of our mind, you know, the whole way. I think once we got out there, you know, you try to put it aside. But you win a set and then you're seeing, Okay, you're three sets away from a Grand Slam. Every point just becomes a little bit bigger, every moment. You know, it makes it a little tougher, I think. But, you know, we're pretty fortunate to have this opportunity. You know, played three matches on Arthur Ashe stadium in a row. Played our third round out there on TV, which doesn't happen pretty much ever in doubles. The crowds were great. 28 matches in a row in Grand Slams might not ever happen again, so, you know, we feel like we did all we can do. Probably never going to have another shot at it, so... BOB BRYAN: Realistically, no. MIKE BRYAN: Realistically it will probably never happen. The margins are just so fine in doubles. There are just too many great teams out there and too much can go wrong, and a lot has to go right to be in that position. So we gave it everything we had. Q. For this match in particular, do you think you guys got tight? Is that fair to say? BOB BRYAN: Definitely not. Definitely not. I mean, the nerves are kind of the buildup to each match, you know. When thatquarterfinal match finishes you're on a high and, you, know that's great for a couple of hours. You're on top of the world, and then you start thinking towards the next match. You know, it's just that buildup, that tension. Once you get on the court, you're just, boom, game plan, focus. What do you have to do on the next point? So, yeah, it definitely didn't get to us. You know, it was just they hit some great shots. It didn't go our way today. That's the bottom line. But, you know, it does feel good to play three matches on Ashe. I think this whole run has been great for doubles. It's been great for us. We have had a good time. You know, like I said, in one sense we're disappointed. In another sense we're relieved and we can start the next chapter. Q. Do you guys get consolation out of the fact that you did have all four at once? BOB BRYAN: Yeah, I mean, that was what we were talking about a couple months ago is, you know, winning the Bryan Slam. That was the big focus. Then once we did that, we didn't really get to rest on our laurels too much. The media and everything shifted towards the calendar year Grand Slam. So it's a never ending run of history and records, and there is always something on the horizon. That's what makes this sport so fun, is there is always the next goal. And, you know, we'll figure out what we're going to focus on next, but, you know, we did give each other a hug and said, Great run. Now we can kind of just take a second and just relax and look at what we have accomplished. You know, our family and friends are going to be great putting this all in perspective for us. Already looking at my phone and getting a bunch of supportive tweets, and text messages are flooding in saying Congrats, guys. It's been a great run. Q. I'm around a lot of junior players, and after a tough loss, the first thing you hear is, Well, I hope they take away a lesson or learn something from that. In this part of your career, do you think that's true for you guys? MIKE BRYAN: Yeah, we always take something out of every match. You know, today we'll take out a few things. We'll do a few things differently next time. You know, we really wanted it. We could taste it. Sometimes you want it too much. Maybe, you know, you're always telling yourself to keep going for your shots, maybe played a little too safe. We could have done a few strategic things differently and maybe we played I formation a little too much, which is not our bread and butter. Probably served Leander's to backhand, you know, he started to get a rhythm on that. But, you know, all in all it comes down to a few points here and there. We had a break point early in that second set. We win that point, and maybe we steamroll them, you know, 3 and 3. You don't want to look back too much in the past. We know what we have to do now to move forward to get better, but, you know, we'll look back and have some perspective and reflect on the great things that we did do. Q. What have been your toughest losses in your career? How does this compare? BOB BRYAN: I definitely don't think this is top 10 toughest moments, you know. The toughest moments have been Davis Cup losses when you know you've let your team down. I feel like, you know, we haven't let anyone down. I mean, I know there is a lot of people following us and a lot of people pulling for us. Yeah, maybe we have disappointed a few people who wanted this to happen. But for us I feel like those Davis Cup losses have been the toughest. You're devastated you lost a pivotal point for your country. MIKE BRYAN: I mean, it could have maybe been a little bit more bitter if it was the final (smiling). BOB BRYAN: Yeah. MIKE BRYAN: Then you could really taste it. Yeah, this kind of maybe is more of a celebration. I came into this tournament just saying, This is just an awesome opportunity. We did have four in a row with the gold medal, which stands out as a Grand Slam, in my mind. You know, this just has the calendar in front of that Grand Slam, which historically is more important, probably. BOB BRYAN: Right. MIKE BRYAN: Probably. It is. Q. Good news is you don't have many Davis Cup losses, but which one of those, Serbia, Croatia? MIKE BRYAN: Boise. Yeah, in Boise, that one was a stinger. You know, just because, you know, it's a home match, it's a quarterfinal match. Knowing that Novak is on that team you've got to get the doubles done. Novak is going to come away with two victories. That was the swing point. BOB BRYAN: But, I mean, yeah, I wouldn't change anything. Our April sucked. We had some real heart‑wrenching losses. But that set the stage for a 25‑match winning streak, and, you know, put the fire in our hearts to really get down and dirty and go on that incredible string of wins. You don't want to change anything. It's just the way Mother Tennis gives you some great moments and she gives you some tough pain, you know. That's the nature of our sport. Q. Leander said on the court with Brad, he said, you know, pay tribute to you guys as great ambassadors for American tennis. You saw how that played out when you were leaving, because watching it on the feed and all the little kids ‑‑ you guys were signing balls, and I heard him yelling, you know, You guys are the best, we love you guys, blah, blah, blah. Talk about that kind of support. BOB BRYAN: Yeah, I mean, you could feel the love out there on Ashe, people willing us through. It was a nice house, you know. I don't know how many people were there, but it felt like a very big crowd. It was an awesome moment for us, for doubles. You know, thanks to Leander for those nice words. The guy is a legend. You know, we're playing doubles here with a lot of legends, Nestor and Leander, and there is a lot of Grand Slam champions. You know, we wish him luck in the finals. He's done a lot, as well, for doubles. Q. You talk about the strategy being different looking back on your game today, but was the hardest part the amount of pressure that you put on yourselves? MIKE BRYAN: Yeah, I mean, we step up to the plate and always put pressure on ourselves to play our best and to come out with a victory. Yeah, I mean, there might have been just an extra a little bit of pressure, but we still were just a set away, a point here or there, and, you know... I don't want to make any excuses, you know. There is a lot that could have gone right out there. Just a point here and there... Just that first hold in the second set, you know, I went across and I could have stuck a volley. Leander hit a couple good chips there and we're down a break and they're off to the race. The momentum switched there. Q. No disrespect to Leander and Stepanek, but is it any harder to lose to that particular tandem? They could be a prickly pair. Also, Leander looked like he was in a zone as the match went on. Couldn't miss. BOB BRYAN: He started feeling it. Yeah, he can get hot. He's a very streaky player and obviously some of the best volleys in the world and very talented dropshoter. There is a lot of stuff he can hurt you with. That's why he's won seven Grand Slams. I'm sure he'll be a favorite to win another one. He likes the spotlight and he likes those big moments. He definitely rose to the occasion today. We have to tip our hats to those two guys. We will be playing them in big matches. Yeah, I don't think it hurts any more to lose to those guys. We definitely respect them. We're not taking them lightly at all. Q. You both have families now. Is this easier to handle with family and the way life has expanded? BOB BRYAN: It's tough, but I haven't seen my little girl yet. Once I see her smile, I'm sure I'll let this all go. There is bigger things in life. You know, the family kind of comes first I think now for both of us. It's been good to have that balance. But, yeah, I mean, it's a stinger. It's a stinger. I haven't seen her yet. MIKE BRYAN: Mikaela doesn't care. BOB BRYAN: Yeah, she doesn't care. She doesn't know what a calendar Grand Slam is yet. Q. Going back to the match, you guys got through the first set, and then it just kind of switches really quick. Even guys as good as you, is it hard to pull yourself out of that or realize that there is still hope? MIKE BRYAN: It got stickier. The holds became tougher. I don't remember missing a first serve in the first set, and we were reeling off those games. Then they started clawing into our service games. When you're serving down break points and deuce games, you know, it becomes a lot tougher and the pressure mounts. So that was probably the difference. We couldn't hold as easily. Bob was serving against 15, 20 miles an hour wind. That's tough. It feels like you're serving uphill. Then, you know, served a pretty bad game in the third set. You know, I had the wind, but I served like I was serving up against the wind there. You know, but Leander really caught fire there. You know, didn't matter where you served him, he was putting it down at our feet. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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