Bryans Win Olympic Gold in Doubles

By Chris Oddo

(August 4, 2012) -- Mike and Bob Bryan defeated Michael Llodra and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-4, 7-6(2) Saturday on Centre Court to claim their first Olympic gold in men's doubles.

The Bryans, who have lost to the eventual gold medal winners in their last two trips to the Olympics, clinched the victory over the French duo when Bob Bryan made a remarkable get on match point, chasing down a Tsonga smash and hitting an over-the-shoulder lob that landed at the opposite baseline.

"[The final point was] a blur," said Bob Bryan. "All I remember I was in the corner, throwing up a lob, trying to hang in there somehow. I know we were up 6-2 in the breaker but you lose that one and things start to get a little tight."

The American twins are the first men to win the gold medal in men's doubles since Ken Flach and Robert Seguso in 1988 in Seoul, Korea.

The Bryans did not drop serve in their final three matches. Today, the stared down six break points in the first set, and in the final set, they dropped only 2 of 29 points on serve.

In the tiebreaker, the Bryans scored the initial mini-break when Mike Bryan played a wicked forehand off a Tsonga second serve that Llodra could not handle. On the ensuing point, Tsonga tossed in his first double-fault of the match.

The most decorated team in American doubles history now can claim the career Golden Slam. They completed their career Grand Slam at Wimbledon in 2006.

"Winning for each other, for our team, but for our country. It brought a different level of intensity to our tennis this week,” said Bob Bryan.

"This kind of eclipses any of our wins,” added Mike.

The Bryans have now won 79 titles, and will seek to tie the all-time record of 12 Grand Slams at this year's US Open.

Richard Gasquet and Julien Benneteau of France took the bronze medal by defeating David Ferrer and Feliciano Lopez.

(Photo Credit: Stefan Wermuth/ Reuters)