Bryans Beat Skupskis For Fifth Delray Beach Title
Bob Bryan lives in California and Mike Bryan in Florida, but the Delray Beach Open has long served as a second home to the all-time greats, and it did again on Sunday.
The Bryans won their fifth Delray Beach crown and 117th tour-level title together, beating another pair of brothers in Brits Ken Skupski/Neal Skupski 7-6(5), 6-4 during the historic final at the ATP 250.
[ALSO LIKE]
The twin Americans were playing in their seventh Delray Beach final (5-2) and first tour-level title match since the 2018 Mutua Madrid Open, an ATP Masters 1000, last May, when Bob had to retire because a right hip injury.
He didn't play another match all season, and Mike went on to partner countryman Jack Sock for three titles – Wimbledon, US Open and the Nitto ATP Finals – and become the oldest player (40 years, 78 days) to be ranked No. 1 in the ATP Doubles Rankings.
Watch: The Bryan Brothers Road To The 2019 Season
But, after Bob recuperated from hip surgery he underwent last August, the Bryans joined forces again in January, and their title this week shows they're back – or at least close to – their 2018 form that saw them pick up two ATP Masters 1000 titles (Miami, Monte-Carlo) before Bob's injury.
The teams traded breaks in the opening set, but the Bryans took the tie-break with a 1-2 punch – a serve then volley winner. The Skupskis struggled to put the first set behind them, as Neal Skupski contributed two of their seven double faults for the match in the opening game of the second set. The Bryans earned the break, the only one they'd need in the second set.
The twins will receive 250 ATP Doubles Rankings points and $32,950 in prize money. The Skupskis will receive 150 ATP Doubles Rankings points and $16,870 in prize money.
It was the first all-brothers doubles final on the ATP Tour since June 1977, when Vijay Amritraj and Anand Amritraj beat John Lloyd and David Lloyd 6-1, 6-2 at The Queen's Club in London.