James Blake, Andy Roddick, Bob and Mike Bryan (from left) celebrate their Davis Cup victory.
(JONATHAN FERREY/Getty Images)
PORTLAND, Ore. - In 1966, a young California tennis player named Kathy Blake won the longest singles match ever played by a woman. She beat Mexican Elena Subirats in 62 games, 12-10, 6-8, 24-12, during a New York tournament.
But apparently she was carrying more influential doubles genes, giving birth 12 years later to the guys - Bob and Mike Bryan - who would end the longest stretch of American misery in Davis Cup campaigning.
Nobody thought the United States wouldn't win its 32d Cup after Andy Roddick and James Blake stacked singles victories for a 2-0 lead over Russia as the best-of-five series commenced at Memorial Coliseum Friday. Still, it was the ever-reliable Bryan twins - identical in looks and heavy-handed serving and volleying - who loomed as a dual guillotine to detach the Cup from 2006 champion Russia.
They were the conclusive drought-busters as the 12-year American thirst was slaked yesterday in a defeat of Nikolay Davydenko and Igor Andreev, 7-6 (7-4), 6-4, 6-2. That made it official: The 107-year-old Boston-conceived Cup is back in American hands, where it last lounged in 1995 after a Pete Sampras-fired 3-2 victory over Russia in the final at Moscow.
"This was our dream since we were 2, and started playing together - to be on a US team, win the Cup," said Bob.
"We pleaded with [US captain Patrick McEnroe] for the doubles job, and finally got it in 2003."
This McEnroe, following the other (John) in the captaincy, basking at the zenith of "our seven-year quest," said, "When Mike and Bob won the French Open in 2003, I felt I could make that gamble. I felt I could do it only when I thought they were dominant. I had to be sure they'd win that doubles point because it meant we could only have two singles players, no flexibility. They couldn't help us in singles."
Currently No. 1 on earth, the Bryans are 13-1 in Cup labors, have won 11 titles this year on a 77-9 record, and are the lone US male team to have won all four majors.
Andreev shrugged. "They served unbelievably, volleyed, too. We didn't see many second serves," he said. "They made it hard for us to keep our serves."
The Russians had a shot at only one break point, that after 66 minutes of the 1-hour-56-minute-long match, and Bob whizzed that away with a service winner.
Jammed with noise and 12,000 people, the arena was a cauldron of such sounds as a brass band, kazoos, horns, bells, the ThunderStix and a US cheering section. But it quieted for a worried instant as the Russians stepped ahead on a mini-break, 3-1, in the tiebreaker.
But no worries for the twins. "We've been through all the pressures and situations," said Bob, the lefthander in the right court. "We've played so many matches together we know what to do."
Zip - they rang up five straight points irresistibly. "We found our comfort level," said righthander Mike - and it was quickly on to the second set.
Doubles is their life. Andreev and Davydenko, both fine at singles, Nos. 33 and 4, respectively, don't have much to do with doubles, especially on a swift hard court.
Like so many these days, they aren't on familiar terms with hustling to the net and volleying. They were caviar for the twins.
Patrick McEnroe has managed his menagerie splendidly, building team esprit such as hasn't been seen in the United States since the days of Arthur Ashe, Stan Smith, and Bob Lutz as principals launched by captain Donald Dell toward five straight Cups (1968--72).
"This is a team journey," said Roddick, amid a fraternity party atmosphere enveloping the team and practice partners. His 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 win over Dmitry Tursunov started the action Friday. "You tend to get a little selfish when you're alone in the majors, but on this team we're together. Since the beginning with Patrick in 2001."
McEnroe said, "The quest has seemed long. Tough losses on the road - to Switzerland at the start, Croatia in 2003, the final in Spain, 2004, the semis last year in Russia. It wasn't easy this year, 4-1 at Czech Republic, 4-1 at Sweden. But the Bryans always had a win for us."
As Bob smashed an overhead to put away the matinee and the Cup, red, white, and blue streamers were a downpour from the ceiling, covering the embracing American players.
Portland was a good place to crack a drought. It rains all the time, and a favorite landmark is a waterfall named Multnomah.
None of it appealed to Kathy Blake Bryan. She gets too nervous watching her kids play, much more edgy than in her long-ago 62-game match. So she stays home in Camarillo, Calif.
"But she's made progress," Bob said. "She would only watch tapes if we won. Today she actually watched the telecast, and liked it."
So did the non-Russian viewers.
© Copyright 2007 Globe Newspaper Company.
