Door Shut at U.S. Open on Bryan Brothers Calendar Slam Run
After 29 straight wins at a major, Bob & Mike Bryan were finally defeated on Thursday at the 2013 U.S. Open, costing them the elusive Calendar Slam they were pursuing. The world’s number one doubles team fell to the fourth-seeded team of Leander Paes & Radek Stepanek 6-3, 3-6, 4-6 in the semifinals.
I mean we’re very disappointed," said Bob Bryan. "As competitors, we hate to lose, and we knew what was riding on this match and the opportunity of what we could have accomplished. It’s a little bit of a relief where you get to kind of exhale for the first time in a few months. All of this Grand Slam talk has been in the back of our head, and it’s been an honor to be a part of this run with Mike. It’s been a great 12 months."
The Bryans started fast on Thursday, winning the first set 6-3. They seemed in control as they had won the last 79 matches that they captured the first set in. However Paes & Stepanek were not done. Paes & Stepanek evened the match in the second set and then the duo ran off five straight games to maintain an impressive 5-1 lead in the third set, The Bryans fought back to make it excited, breaking Paes at 2-5 and then holding to get within 4-5 but Stepanek served out the match shortly thereafter.
"That’s what makes this sport so fun, is there is always the next goal," said Bob Bryan. "We’ll figure out what we’re going to focus on next, but, you know, we did give each other a hug and said, ‘Great run.”"
The team of Paes & Stepanek, semifinalists at Wimbledon this past summer, move on to the finals where they’ll take on the winner of Thursday afternoon’s match between Ivan Dodig & Marcelo Melo and the team of Alexander Peya & Bruno Soares.
