Simply put, American ATP players Mike and Bob Bryan are the most successful men’s doubles team in Open Era history, with 67 titles won as a pair.
They have combined to win nine Grand Slam doubles titles, completing the career doubles Slam in 2006 when they won the Australian Open and Wimbledon, having previously won the French Open in 2003 and the US Open in 2005.
In addition, Bob Bryan has seven mixed doubles Slam titles and Mike has two.
The pair currently hold 10 ATP Open Era men’s doubles records – career titles (67); ITF World Championships (7), ATP Team of the Year (6); Grand Slam finals (17); tour-level match wins (600), consecutive Grand Slam finals (7), ATP World Tour Tournament Finals (105), Davis Cup World Group wins (16), Masters 1000 titles (17) and World Tour Finals titles (3)
The pair won their first doubles tournament at the age of six in an 10-and-under event, and won the USTA Doubles crown for their age group in 1991-1992, 1994-1996. They both earned college scholarships to Stanford, attending through the 1998 season and helping the Cardinal win two national titles. They pair won the NCAA doubles title in 1998, the first brothers to do so since 1946.
The pair made their professional debut in 1995 at the US Open, but did not win a tour match until 1998. They reached the quarterfinals of the US Open in 2000, and won their first title in 2001, capturing four crowns in all and reaching the semifinals at Wimbledon. For the year, they went 45-23 and wound up ranked No. 7.
In 2002, the Bryans won five titles and finished the year 54-19, ranked third in the world.
In 2003, the brothers teamed up to take their first Grand Slam crown, winning at Roland Garros without losing a set over the course of the tournament. They finished the year ranked No. 1, the first time brothers have accomplished that feat.
In 2004, they won a career-best seven titles, reached the finals of four other events and lost in the quarterfinals at the Summer Olympics. Taking time off for the Olympics saw the two lose points and the duo wound up fourth in the rankings.
In 2005, the Bryans won their second Grand Slam title, winning the US Open, and reached the finals of the Australian and French Opens and Wimbledon. They finished the season ranked No. 1 again.
In 2006, the pair won the Australian Open for the first time then took Wimbledon’s crown in four sets to sew up the career Grand Slam. Once again, they took the No. 1 ranking at year’s end.
They lost that ranking quickly in 2007, dropping to third for a time before moving back to first in April. They won 11 titles in all, taking the crown for a second straight year at the Australian Open.
In 2008, they added another Slam, their second US Open crown, but fell to No. 3 in the year-end rankings. They quickly reasserted themselves as the top talent early in 2009 with their third Australian Open crown and finished the year ranked first. They defended the Australian Open title in 2010 then took the US Open title again as well, marking the sixth straight season, and seventh in eight years that they have won at least one Grand Slam doubles title.
In addition to the twin success, Bob Bryan has piled up seven mixed doubles Grand Slam titles, needing only the Australian to complete that career Slam. He has won the French Open twice (2008, 2009), Wimbledon once (2008) and the US Open four times (2003-2004, 2006, 2010). Of those seven, the most unique came in 2006 when he teamed with WTA legend Martina Navratilova, at the time 49 years old and 21 years Bob’s senior. It was Navratilova’s 59th and final career Grand Slam title, coming a staggering 32 years after her first Slam (1974 mixed doubles at the French Open).
As a singles player, Bob has a career ATP record of 21-40, and his highest ranking was No. 113, achieved in November of 2000.
Mike Bryan has won two mixed doubles Grand Slams, the 2002 US Open and the 2003 French Open. Twice, he has reached the mixed doubles finals at Wimbledon. Mike is just 5-11 as a singles player in ATP competition, reaching a high-water mark of No. 246 in October of 2000.
Grand Slam Titles Won
Mike and Bob Bryan
Men’s Doubles (9): Australian Open (2006-2007, 2009-2010); French Open (2003); Wimbledon (2006); US Open (2005, 2008, 2010).
Mike Bryan
Mixed Doubles (2): US Open (2002); French Open (2003).
Bob Bryan
Mixed Doubles (7): French Open (2008-2009); Wimbledon (2008); US Open (2003-2004, 2006, 2010).
Personal
Mike is two minutes older than Bob. Bob is left-handed while Mike is right-handed. Bob has won $7,504,069 in his career, Mike has won $7,275,146. Bob is one inch taller and 10 pounds heavier. In their early days playing singles, they were forbidden by their parents from playing against each other, and would alternate defaulting should they meet. Have a band called “Bryan Brothers Band” in which Mike plays drums and Bob plays keyboards. Famous for chest bumping after winning big points.
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