Tennis

Oh, brother! Bryans fall short of history at U.S. Open

The Bryan twins failed to make history Thursday and doubt they ever will come this close again.

The Bryan brothers doubles team, seeking the first doubles Grand Slam since 1951, were ousted in the semifinals at Arthur Ashe Stadium by Leander Paes and Radek Stepanek. The Indian/Czech duo rallied from a set down to post a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 triumph in the semifinals.

Bob and Mike Bryan had won the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon and were ready to raise the profile of doubles with this Grand Slam in winning all four majors in the same calendar year. They had won the first set and had won 78 straight major matches after winning the first set.

“We knew what was riding on this match and the opportunity we could have accomplished,’’ Bob Bryan said. “In one sense, it’s a little relief. All this Grand Slam talk has been in the back of our head. I have had a tough time sleeping the last couple of weeks.’’

The last doubles team to win the Grand Slam was Aussies Ken McGregor and Frank Sedgman in 1951.

“Probably never going to have another shot at it,’’ Mike Bryan said. “Realistically no. The margins are just so fine in doubles. There are too many great teams out there.’’

The Paes-Stepanek duo all but clinched it late in the third set when they led 4-1 and faced triple break point at love-40. But they rallied expertly to win the next five points to go up 5-1, the final nail in the doubles coffin.

Paes lifted Stepanek in the air after match point when Paes’ volley handcuffed Mike Bryan. The international squad did a new running dance shuffle on the court after several games they won.

“It came natural,’’ Stepanek said. “We have fun on the court.’’

Paes, in his second career as a doubles player at 40, reflected on his past U.S. Opens.

He said Wilt Chamberlain once watched his junior singles final here and he was in the basement of the World Trade Center on Sept. 10, 2001.

“I was there literally 12 hours before it happened,’’ Paes said. “I still have a receipt from the store down there. The resilience New Yorkers show is why I love this city.’’
In the junior Open, 10th seed Louisa Chirico, who is from Harrison,, N.Y., moved to the quarterfinals with a 6-7, 7-5, 6-2 win over Michaela Gordon.
She faces No. 2 Ana Konjuh of Croatia who was the Aussie Open champion. Chirico trains at the USTA facility and goes to high school online.

She lost in the first round of the junior Open last year but advanced to the semifinals of the French and Wimbledon.

“It’s definitely a different feeling when I play here with the home crowd,’’ Chirico said. “I’ve played on these courts a million times.’’