Bryan Brothers to Play for Gold

By Chris Oddo

(August 3, 2012) -- Bob and Mike Bryan defeated Richard Gasquet and Julien Benneteau 6-4, 6-4 to reach the gold medal match for the first time in their illustrious career on Friday at Wimbledon.

With a win in the gold medal match the Bryans will join Australians Mark Woodforde and Todd Woodbridge as holders of the elusive career Golden Slam in men's doubles.

The Bryans have had Olympic success before—they defeated Arnaud Clement and Michael Llodra in the bronze medal match in 2008 in Beijing—but they’ve made no secret that they’d like nothing more than to add a gold medal to their 11 Grand Slams and 78 career titles.

“To upgrade that to something a little more shiny would be awesome,” said Bob Bryan on Thursday after the Bryans defeated Jonathan Erlich and Andy Ram to advance to the medal round, “we’re in position, we want to take one at a time, we gotta win the next match or we are not going to have a shot at it, but it’s been our goal all year.”

"Every sports fan in the world knows what an Olympic medal is," Mike Bryan said today. "They don't necessarily know what a Wimbledon title is. I think that would be at the front of the trophy case for sure."

Today the twin brothers from Camarillo, California did not face a break point on serve against the French duo. They won 29 of 32 first points to keep the Frenchmen at bay throughout the match.

The Bryans completed their career Grand Slam at Wimbledon in 2006.

They will face the French duo of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Michael Llodra in the gold medal match. Tsonga and Llodra outlasted David Ferrer and Feliciano Lopez in the semifinals today 6-3, 4-6, 18-16 in three hours and twenty-nine minutes.

In mixed doubles action Mike Bryan reached the semifinals with his partner Lisa Raymond. The American pair defeated Juan Martin del Potro and Gisela Dulko 6-2, 7-5.

(Photo Credit: AFP/Patrick Kovarik)