By Chris Oddo | Monday February 25, 2019
In the first all-brothers final on the ATP doubles tour since 1977, and fittingly legends Mike and Bob Bryan returned to the winner’s circle, claiming their record 117th team title by defeating British brothers Neal and Ken Skupski 7-6(5) 6-4 at the Delray Beach Open.
With Bob Bryan returning from season-ending hip surgery in 2018, the Bryans have hit the ground running in the first two months of the 2019 campaign, reaching the Australian Open quarter-finals and compiling an overall record of 9-4.
Sunday's trophy hoist marks the Bryans first title since last April when they won Monte-Carlo, but Bob’s hip issues would soon take center stage and end the dynamic duo's season as a pairing. Bob tried to live with a minor scope and heal without major surgery for several months but soon elected to have a hip replacement in August.
After an off-season spent embracing the monotony of grueling rehab in tandem, the Bryans now proudly talk of Bob's metal hip (Mike now calls bob “Iron Man, lovingly) as a badge of courage, seeing it as just another challenge as they return to the tour eager to prove that they can still dominate ATP doubles beyond 40.
Bob says that watching his brother Mike win the final two majors of 2018 and then the ATP finals with Jack Sock inspired him as he was at home doing rehab last year.
"Watching Mike do it last year gave me a lot of confidence," Bob said, according to ATPWorldTour.com. "To see that he could get to No. 1 and be so dominant with Jack really helped me mentally. It helped get me to this stage because I know it's possible."
The Bryans claimed their fifth Delray title and hope that it’s just the beginning in what promises to be a very inspiring comeback season.
“We don't want to stop here. We want to keep rolling and hold up bigger ones, hopefully an [ATP Masters 1000] in the near future and then a [Grand Slam],” Mike said.