Bryan brothers make it an even 100 at U.S. Open

In yet another highlight in careers that have been filled with them, Bob and Mike Bryan, the world’s best men’s doubles team for almost as long as anybody can remember, won the U.S. Open title here Sunday.

It would be hard to define any of their titles and landmarks as special because there are so many, now including 16 Grand Slam titles.

But this one makes the “special” category because it was, incredibly, their 100th tour doubles title.

In the final in Arthur Ashe Stadium, they beat Marcel Granollers and Marc Lopez of Spain, 6-3, 6-4. The brothers said afterward that they were especially pleased because they felt they had saved their best match for last.

The twins from Camarillo, who now live in Florida, are 36 and show no signs of slowing down. They said they would take a few days to enjoy this milestone and then get ready for the U.S. Davis Cup match against Slovakia, starting Friday in Chicago.

“We’ll get nervous all over again,” said Bob, the left-hander.

The Bryans’ careers are an amazing statistical sheet. A sampling:

They have won five U.S. Open titles. They have won at last one major title for the last 10 seasons. They have won at least five ATP titles for 13 straight years; that started in 2002 after they had a bad year in ’01 with only four titles.

They have won 100 titles in 13 countries, including 43 titles in the U.S. They’ve even won 13 on clay (two French Opens), not a favorite of Southern California players.

“I was having flashbacks to my whole career towards the end of the match,” Bob said Sunday.

Said Mike: “This adds some whip cream and cherries and nuts on top.”