For one set Sunday night, it was hard to tell which doubles pairing was the one ranked No. 1 in the world and looking to capture its record-setting fourth Countrywide Classic title, and which was the unseeded upstart that had only this week notched wins in three consecutive matches for the first time.
All four players on the court were American. All four once played tennis for Stanford. Both pairings had put together impressive runs through the field to reach the final. And, up until the first set tiebreak, both pairings held serve.
But as that tiebreak wore on, the differences between the four players began to emerge.
And when the second set ended, proper order in the world of men’s doubles tennis was restored as top-seeded brothers Bob and Mike Bryan defeated David Martin and Scott Lipsky 7-6(5), 6-2 in the final of the Countrywide Classic at the Los Angeles Tennis Center.
The Bryans had previously won the tournament in 2001, 2004, and 2006.
On paper, there was nothing surprising about that final outcome. The Bryans had already won seven tournament titles this year, including the Australian Open, and were looking to rebound after a tough loss in the Wimbledon finals by capturing their 40th ATP tournament crown.
Lipsky and Martin, on the other hand, had never reached a tournament final.
“It turned out to be a really tough final,” Mike Bryan said. “We got lucky on the tiebreaker and just managed to squeak through.”
After the Bryans scored the seventh and winning point in the tiebreak, things began to turn their way.
In the fifth game of the second set, the Bryans were finally able to break Lipsky’s serve, giving them a 3-2 lead.
With Bob Bryan serving, they won four straight points to take the next game, but their momentum seemed to be fading when they found themselves one point away from dropping the next set as Martin served.
Unfazed, the Bryans reeled off four straight points to break again. Now up five sets to two, they won another four consecutive points to finish the set and the match.
“I think we broke their spirit a little bit,” Bob Bryan said of the fifth game break.
“They threw some good stuff at us early, and we were able to match them. That was the turning point of the match for sure.”
Fittingly, as the Bryans celebrated their victory at center court the Public Address system at the LATC blared Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the USA.” Sunday marked not only an all-Cardinal final, but a rare all-American final.
“It was awesome having an all-Stanford final,” Bob Bryan said. “But more importantly, it was an all-U.S. final. We don’t have many of those anymore.”
The win also came with some special geographical significance for the Bryans.
The brothers grew up in nearby Camarillo, and have been playing in the Countrywide Classic for years.
“It’s always special winning here,” Bob Bryan said.
“Winning our fourth one, breaking that record I just heard about, makes it even more special. We had so many friends and family come out who were supporting us. They don’t get to see us very much, so it’s great to play some good tennis in front of them.”