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Wayne
Bryan on his boys: 'I'd like to say it was a dream, but it wasn't. It was
real' |
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Every guy stood up and talked about family atmosphere, how much support they received from the others, how abnormally normal it is to be a tight night group in an individual sport.
"To be here and bring the Cup back to the States is an amazing feeling," Roddick said. But more important, just to share the journey with these guys, it's just been so much fun. For us to have our moment, I feel like we really do deserve it. We've been the ultimate team, and it's just been a blast and it's been an honor to be a part of that."
It all clicked for the group this year after a seven-year process in which McEnroe had to develop not only cohesiveness amongst his players, but instill confidence in them that they could win under the most trying surfaces. The US lost to the great Roger Federer in Switzerland, to the Croats in Zagreb, to the French at Roland Garros, to Spain in Seville, to Croatia in LA, to the Russians in Moscow. They weren't thrilled when their first-round tie was an away gig against the capable Czechs on clay. But Roddick and the Bryans came up huge and off they went - through Spain at home, through the Swedes away and finally through Russia on a rainy, cold weekend in Portland, weather more fitting for the red bears on the other side of the net, but just fine for red, white and blue eagles indoors, as the court and the crowd played to their liking.
"This year I think it sort of looked like, hey, maybe we could play a decent country, and Czech Republic has a good team, but maybe not one of the top, top teams, away on clay," McEnroe said. "When we won that, I think we thought maybe things can break right for us. But to go to Sweden and to win away in the semis was big. I think we caught a little break when Argentina lost. They would have been obviously very tough on clay. But to win two matches away was big for us. I think the experience that these guys have had over the years was really key towards handling the away matches and also handling the emotion of the home matches really well."
Credit the entire group for a terrific weekend of play: Roddick for punching out Dmitry Tursunov; Blake for out-gutting Mikhail Youzhny and the nervous Bob and Mike Bryan for playing the percentages and stopping a strong effort by Davydenko and Andreev. As former US Davis Cupper Tim Mayotte said after the twins' win: They have taken doubles to a new level, always closing and taking balls on the rise.
"It's been the worst anticipation waiting for this match," said Mike Bryan as his brother Bob puked his butterflies out in the shower. "The pressure is unbelievable. I don't know how we seemed pretty relaxed out there, but my stomach was just churning. I didn't sleep that great for probably the last week, taking Ambien, doing whatever it takes. But the anticipation's tough. To see these guys go out there and handle it so well. You know, Andy looked so relaxed out there and just stepped up, and James played phenomenal, put us in the position to go out there and clinch it.
"I mean, a dream for us to win the final match and have the guys rush and come jump around with us. There's nothing like it. Thought we played a good match today. It's a sneaky team. We're the heavy favorites. We have all the pressure on us."
McEnroe would later speak of Roddick's constant emotional commitment and even now, his No. 1 player and seven years into his Cup career, says he still cries hard after DC losses because it means so much to him. Blake said that his year had been redeemed and the Bryans, of course, discussed a lifelong dream realized.
The Bryan's incredibly enthusiastic father, Wayne, actually canceled his first gig in 14 years to stay and watch his sons play. (He was scheduled to emcee the Pete Sampras-Todd Martin exo in Chicago.)
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"I've always envisioned this," Wayne told Inside Tennis' Bill Simons. "I've always wanted doubles to be like this - like another athletic contest, not like a tennis match. I loved all the enthusiasm, the energy. I've known that tennis and doubles can be like this. I've imagined it. I didn't dream it, I just saw it with the streamers coming down, the boys winning, the boys playing great, playing loose, not overwhelmed. I'd like to say it was a dream, but it wasn't. It was real. I've been here."
RODDICK'S NEW GIRLFRIEND: SI SWIMSUIT BEAUTY
Roddick and his buddies were as loose as anyone has ever seen them in
a tie. There's a lot of satisfaction after ending a long, tortuous
journey, and as Roddick left the building, arm and arm with his new
girlfriend, SI swimsuit model Brooklyn Decker. He was asked whether
this was like winning tennis' version of the Super Bowl. "Yup,
no doubt," he said, and went off to with his boys to the watering
hole where, as Bob said, they will "take it out hard."
 Richard Osborn Coach Shamil Tarpischev's Russian
team only won one set in the first three matches. |
© TennisReporters.net 2007
