By Tucker Verdi
Identical twins Bob and Mike Bryan are one more chest bump away from yet another doubles title to add to their already-record collection.
With a win on Saturday afternoon, the most storied and successful pairing in Men’s Doubles tennis will claim a 37th Masters 1000 title, a 114th doubles title as a team, and a 5th title in Key Biscayne.
The “mirror twins” – Mike being right-handed and Bob being left-handed – previously took home the Miami Open doubles title in 2007 2008 and 2014 2015. Their 5th championship would break a tie with Todd Woodbridge, Mark Woodforde, and Max Mirnyi for the most Miami Open men’s doubles trophies.
The once-dominant pairing has struggled to maintain the success, as any team would at 39 years old. But they’ve reached their second consecutive Masters 1000 final after a runner-up finish in Indian Wells two weeks ago, and seem to have found a new rhythm in this unique stage of their combined career.
On the other side of the court on Saturday afternoon will be a team playing in only their 4th tour-level event together. Russians Karen Khachanov and Andrey Rublev are 21 and 20, respectively, and have a combined 4 singles and doubles titles in their careers. The Bryan Brothers once held all 4 Grand Slams at once from the 2012 US Open to Wimbledon 2013, just for comparison.
But none of that will matter on the court. All the records and history are thrown out and the team that wins two sets takes home all the glory.
Will the young Russians upend the best men’s tennis duo in history? Or will the Bryan Brothers continue to cement their legacy as the greatest of all time?
About the Miami Open presented by Itaú
The 2018 Miami Open will be played March 19-April 1 at the Crandon Park Tennis Center in Miami. The two-week combined event is owned and operated by IMG. The Miami Open is one of nine ATP Masters 1000 Series events on the ATP calendar, a Premier Mandatory event on the WTA calendar, and features the top men’s and women’s tennis players in the world. The tournament is widely regarded as the most glamorous on the ATP and WTA calendars because of its exotic Miami location, thriving nightlife, five-star hotels and restaurants, beautiful weather and beaches, and its celebrity appeal. For ticket information, call +1.305.442.3367 or visit www.miamiopen.com.
About Itaú
Itau is the largest Latin America privately owned bank, with approximately 94,000 employees and operations in 19 countries throughout the Americas, Asia and Europe. Itaú’s relationship with sport goes back to the 1970s, when Itaú first sponsored the Itaú Tennis Cup in Brazil in 1970. Itaú has been a sponsor of the Miami Open for the last six years, and also sponsors the Rio Open, the only combined ATP/WTA event in South America. Itaú also supports the Brazilian Women’s Tennis Circuit, only female professional tournament in South America, certified by the Brazilian Tennis Confederation (CBT) and the International Tennis Federation (ITF), as well as the Tennis Institute Training Center, responsible for the development of young, new talent.
About IMG
IMG is a global leader in sports, fashion, events and media, operating in more than 30 countries. The company represents and manages some of the world’s greatest sports figures and fashion icons; stages hundreds of live events and branded entertainment experiences annually; and is one of the largest independent producers and distributors of sports media. IMG also specializes in sports training; league development; and marketing, media and licensing for brands, sports organizations and collegiate institutions.
