Sometimes the headline story doesn’t tell the whole story and misses the best story.
So it was on Monday when it was announced that Bob Bryan, half of The Pride of Camarillo along with identical twin brother Mike, is the new Captain of the United States Davis Cup Team.
Mikeandbob – one word suffices for that’s how tightly synchronized the Bryan Brothers always were on the tennis court – are the greatest doubles team in history with a resume of championships too long to fit in this space’s allotted 600 words. Here is a Tweet-length summary in 280 characters:
NCAA doubles crown at Stanford in 1998; record 119 professional titles together; record 16 Slam titles together; ranked No. 1 in the world a record 438 weeks; ATP Doubles Team of the Decade for 2000-2009 and 2010-2019; gold medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics, bronze medal at 2008 Olympics; in 2007 helped Team USA win the Davis Cup.
Of all those triumphs the one dearest to Mikeandbob growing up, since way back when they would lose interest watching matches at the prestigious Ojai Championships and venture down to the creek in Libbey Park and try to catch frogs, was to represent the U.S. in Davis Cup action. So to become Captain is a dream come true atop a dream come true for Bob, a chocolate-dipped strawberry atop the cherry on a sundae. And yet that isn’t the best story.
The best story is this…
At the Indian Wells Masters, currently underway and unofficially considered tennis’ “fifth” Grand Slam event, a group of 154 junior players from five states, including California with Ventura County represented, were invited as special guests to not only watch some terrific matches at the highest level, but also take part in a youth clinic. Joining the kids were 23 coaches comprised of former pros and college stars, and a gaggle of parent chaperones.
The United States Tennis Association felt the Indian Wells Masters was an ideal setting to tell Bob Bryan that he had been selected to be the Davis Cup Captain and did so last Friday. The official announcement, however, would not be made until the following Monday.
Naturally, Bob had a full slate of USTA meetings to attend and wanted to touch bases with as many American players and their coaches as possible. Too, there were media interview requests for embargoed stories. Moreover, Saturday night he and Mike had to leave for a previous commitment in Miami on Sunday.
Understandably, Bob decided he would have to pass on participating in the special clinic for the invited youth players.
On second thought, Mikeandbob being Mikeandbob – perennially voted the ATP’s “Fans’ Favorite” for two decades, beloved for giving clinics at every tournament stop and for always lingering after their matches until the very last autograph request had been fulfilled – decided they would drop by for a few minutes to say hi to the kids before jetting off to Miami.
On third thought, Mikeandbob stayed a full hour to hit with all the juniors.
The spark of Mikeandbob’s long-ago dream to play on the U.S. Davis Cup Team happened when they were attending a Davis Cup match as seven-year-olds and squad player Ricky Leach said hi to them, even gave them an American flag, and inspired them.
On final thought, perhaps the very best story about Bob Bryan becoming Cup Captain won’t reveal itself until 15 or so years from now when one of the girls or boys at that junior clinic who met and rallied with Mikeandbob has her or his own tennis dream come true.
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Essay copyrights Woody Woodburn
Woody writes a weekly column for The Ventura County Star and can be contacted at WoodyWriter@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram at @woodywoodburn. His SIGNED books are available at www.WoodyWoodburn.com.
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