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Bryan Bros. Clinch Stanford ATP Doubles Race

Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, U.S.A. -– American brothers Bob and Mike Bryan have clinched the Stanford ATP Doubles Race for the third consecutive year and for the fourth time in the past five years. The Bryans have held a commanding lead all season since beginning the year with the Australian Open title. The Bryans currently have an unassailable 390-point lead over No. 2 team Mark Knowles and Daniel Nestor.

The Bryans, who next week will play the pivotal doubles rubber in the United States’ Davis Cup semifinal in Sweden, have won a career-high eight titles in 2007: the Australian Open, ATP Masters Series crowns in Miami, Monte-Carlo and Hamburg, Las Vegas, Houston, Los Angeles and Washington. They have a 63-9 record on the season and have reached finals in 12 of the 18 tournaments they have played.

The Bryans will now set their sights on winning 10 or more titles for the first time in their careers and winning a third Tennis Masters Cup doubles crown in Shanghai in November.

Mike Bryan said: “Every year we set out with one main goal: to finish No. 1. I think we played some of the best tennis of our careers and worked hard to improve. We feel lucky to be in this position again considering how many tough teams we compete against.”

Bob Bryan said: “When we started out we dreamed of finishing No. 1 in the world, but never imagined that we’d be there four out of the last five years. It’s been such an amazing year for us with a career-best eight titles so far. We’re really looking forward to playing the Masters Cup in Shanghai and hope to finish the year strong.”

The legendary Australian pairing of Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde is the only other team to finish No. 1 for three straight years (1995-97). The Bryans are the first team to finish No. 1 four times in five years, but ‘the Woodies’ hold the record for most year-end No. 1 finishes (five), having also topped the team standings in 1992 and 2000.

The Bryans have won 41 career titles and stand fifth in the list of Open Era team titles leaders. The Bryans and Knowles/Nestor are the only teams to have clinched berths at the 2007 Tennis Masters Cup.

Open Era Doubles Team Title Leaders
1) Todd Woodbridge-Mark Woodforde 61
2) Peter Fleming-John McEnroe 57
Bob Hewitt-Frew McMillan 57
4) Sergio Casal-Emilio Sanchez 44
5) Bob Bryan-Mike Bryan 41
6) Brian Gottfried-Raul Ramirez 39
Jacco Eltingh-Paul Haarhuis 39
Mark Knowles-Daniel Nestor 39

Stanford ATP Doubles Race to Shanghai
1) Bryan/Bryan 1070 (Qualified)
2) Knowles/Nestor 680 (Qualified)
3) Hanley/Ullyett 580
4) Damm/Paes 542
5) Aspelin/Knowle 502
6) Erlich/Ram 486
7) Dlouhy/Vizner 483
8) Santoro/Zimonjic 466
9) Bjorkman/Mirnyi 395
10) Clement/Llodra 383

Posted on September 13, 2007
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