The "THESE Americans can play on it!" Clay Season thread! (Roland Garros)

Boys start off in Houston, playing Paul Goldstein/Thomas Blake tomorrow.

Here's to a great clay season for the guys! :drink:

I'm excited about the clay court season. Hopefully Bob and Mike can keep up this roll their on and cap it off at the French! ;) Good luck guys!

:lol: Funny thread title deb! They probably are the only Americans to do well on clay! ;) No offense to the other players of course...

I looked at the draw and I'm very excited about Houston! There are only 2 top teams there, being Mike and Bob and Nestor/Knowles and those last ones are out already. :) Looks like a great chance to get another title... ;) Go Mike and Bob!!

Great title, deb! :yeah: :lol:

Good luck for Mike & Bob in today's match and always! :bounce: :)

How do you think, how many chances for them to win RG again? ;)

Glad you guys like the title, it seemed fitting for the clay season :p

I think they have a great chance at winning RG again - I think the Bryans are awesome enough on any surface to win pretty much any tourney they enter :) Even when they lose it's not usually b/c they play badly it's b/c the other team has a great day, so yeah :D

hear hear!

:yippee:

They won their first match 6-3 6-4:D

Bryans Begin Quest to Beat Houston Hoodoo

Stanford ATP Doubles Race leaders Bob and Mike Bryan breezed into the quarterfinals of the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships Wednesday with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Thomas Blake and Paul Goldstein.

The Bryans improved to an impressive 24-3 on the season. They have reached the semifinals or better in every event they have played this season and in their past two tournaments reached back-to-back ATP Masters Series finals in Miami and Indian Wells.

But despite winning back-to-back Tennis Masters Cup titles in Houston, the Westside Tennis Club has not been a happy hunting ground in their three appearances there in the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships. The Bryans come into this year's tournament with a modest 2-3 record in the event in Houston, although they did reach the final of the event when it was held in Orlando in 1999.

The Bryans are chasing their third title of the year following victories at the Australian Open and in Las Vegas.

Well, not this year :o they lost 7-5 6-7(4) 7-10.... had a MP at some point in there, probably late in the 2nd. Too bad, they are good on clay but can't seem to do well. First time all year they've lost before the semis :(

Aww too bad! :(

Up to Monte Carlo it is! Good luck there guys!

Yes go to MC pls :bounce:

I will be there :banana:

The Bryans are not going to MC :sad: :sad:

:crying2:
Why??? :sad:
And does anybody know, why all americans won't play there?????

Well most of them probably want a break at home for a little longer b/c they know they won't do well there, but the Bryans made the final last year and had plenty of time to make it over there. I guess they didn't want to go either :shrug: They've played a lot this year and hadn't had any time off, but I dunno :(

I'm not sure why all the Americans choose to skip Monte Carlo. It's weird. The guys have the next 3 weeks off before starting their European clay court season in Rome. Maybe all the Americans want some time off now because they won't be back in the States again until Newport, which is after Wimbledon. That's a LONG time to be gone.

Oh and as for the thread title, Mardy just won Houston, so maybe there's another American that can play on clay!? GO FISH!! :)

I'm not sure why all the Americans choose to skip Monte Carlo. It's weird. The guys have the next 3 weeks off before starting their European clay court season in Rome. Maybe all the Americans want some time off now because they won't be back in the States again until Newport, which is after Wimbledon. That's a LONG time to be gone.Some people have suggested there are other reasons that these guys don't like the tourney. I dunno what they might be.... the Bryans did play last year but it was before Houston last year... so I dunno. Sure it makes sense that they want the time off and with the 2 weeks between MC and Rome maybe they figure that they'd go back home anyway and they wouldn't have a shot to win many matches and it's like an extra transatlantic trip for not much gain. That makes sense for the singles guys but the Bryans actually have a good shot to win the title so I don't know why they didn't go. Even if they were to come back here for a couple weeks before Rome it's not quick trips back and forth so I dunno. I mean, obviouly we know the Twins can play on clay, they're RG champs and stuff, so there's obviously another reason why they didn't play this year. Hard to know.

Oh and as for the thread title, Mardy just won Houston, so maybe there's another American that can play on clay!? GO FISH!! :)Well if winning Houston was any barometer of claycourt ability, Andy would be the best claycourter in the world :p

I expected that the American singles players were going to skip Monte Carlo (like they always do :rolleyes: ), but I was very surprised when I saw that the Bryan's decided to join them this year. I don't get it.

Look at the clay/grass schedule they played last year, they played as much tennis as Federer or Nadal - both of them skipped one of the masters events last year on clay, the Bryans did not. And the Bryans did well in almost all the events they entered over that time - winning the title or making the final in 5 of them. Pretty impressive. Perhaps it was tiring for them and they wanted to do things differently this year. They will post good results in the tourneys they do play, so I think they're entitled to an extra week off. So let them have the three weeks, maybe they can go away for a few days, whatever. Show up in Rome and do great as usual:)

Another reason could be to save Mike's hips. He's been feeling great lately, but why overdo it? Plus, they already pulled out of an event because of Bob's shoulder. I totally agree that they deserve the time off and I wish them well. I do have to say though that I hate that some other team is going to get 100 points this week! ;)

You're right, winning is Houston isn't a barometer of clay court ability, but it sure is nice to see Mardy back winning again. We've missed him.

They're the #1 seeds in Rome and have a bye as usual. C'mon guys :D

Good luck, Mike and Bob! :bounce: :)
Finally I will see them! (I hope :angel: )

Bob and Mike's 1st match could be a Davis Cup semifinal preview. Safin/Tursunov play Paes/Stepanek. If Safin/Tursunov win, we'll get a little preview of what the semifinal matchup will be like in September! :) Go Mike and Bob!

Good luck to Bob and Mike for the tourney in Rome!

Bob and Mike's 1st match could be a Davis Cup semifinal preview. Safin/Tursunov play Paes/Stepanek. If Safin/Tursunov win, we'll get a little preview of what the semifinal matchup will be like in September! :) Go Mike and Bob!
That will be such a great match to see...I only wish I could see it :sad:
Good luck Mike and Bob! :banana: :banana:

Uh oh, the twins will play PAES/Stepanek tomorrow.... :lol:

Please win tomorrow boys...please

The match begins in some minutes and I've just back home to watch it :D
Good luck, Mike & Bob! :bounce: :bounce:

6-1 7-5 over Paes/Stepanek, they never faced an official BP (stats don't say if they faced deciding points but they appear to have held easily throughout). Excellent :D

:yeah: :yeah:
The first set was... A little bit too fast :lol:
Great win! After so long rest ;)
But the next round... :scared: Good luck, boys! :bigclap: :bigclap:

:banana:

And Massu/Gonzalez tomorrow....
expected DC doubles match :lol:
Good luck, Mike & Bob! :D :D

Well done guys :bounce:

You are the true Clay Kings :worship:

WAY TO GO TWINS!!!! :bigclap: Now win tomorrow!!!

Vamos against those two whom I have called "the dynamic duo". Now I just want to call them Batman and Robin;)

Can anybody tell me what's happend with our "winning at life" twins??? :confused:
It wasn't my day today... Mario, Andy, now Mike & Bob... :banghead: Why??? :sad: :awww:

Wish I knew :( Wasn't mine either, I had a really awful exam today and got home to my faves both losing. sigh.

Ha! Our sport channel promised to show the twins match "to show everybody the double match as it must be played" :( Idiots! :rolleyes:
Have you seen the match?

Nope they cut off right after Andy lost. sorry!

:crying2:
So nobody has seen... :(

the doubles? I doubt it :awww:

I don't know, may be the new rules help them to play on the Central Court more often, but TV doesn't show the doubles anywhere :mad: And there's nothing to do with it, as I see :fiery:

yep, it really sucks. the tv coverage that's produced by the ATP basically pretends like doubles doesn't exist. stupid.

Idiots twice :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
But you're still more lucky, you can see them from time to time. And our TV didn't show even the GS double finals! Till this AO :mad: And I don't know, when I will be able to see them. May be only on DC :awww:

Well, I'm lucky b/c I have the tennis channel and they show doubles once in a while but otherwise, we don't get doubles much either.

Well, I was talking about Tennis Channel too :angel: But it's russian tennis channel :mad: OK, at least I must be happy that they prefer ATP. Eurosport seems to show only WTA :smash:
Anywhere, it doesn't matter now. There's nothing left to watch this week :(

Double damn here.

What is it? :eek: What's happened! What's happened with their game? :scratch:
I'm shocked! :banghead: :tape: Today is a terrible day :fiery: :retard: :awww:

:sad: Mike... Bob... :sad: :smash: :hug:

May be they should have a little bit less rest??? :( :rolleyes:

Well the Hamburg draw is out http://www.atptennis.com/posting/2006/414/MDD.pdf hopefully this one will go better:)

Good luck, Mike & Bob :D :bounce: :bounce:
And there may be Gonzalez/Massu in the 3d round again :scratch: Sweet revenge? ;)

Nope, won't happen this tourney as Blake/Malisse beat the Chileans in straights today

The guys won their first match 6-4 6-4 :D

:bigclap: :bigclap:
Now good luck for tomorrow! :D Hope, Hamburg will be better than Rome ;)

:woohoo: Now I am wanting a final between the twins and Andyoni! That would be heaven;) Well only if it was televised:lol:

Way to go Mike and Bob!

And the number one position is still safe :) Good luck in the next round!

It's safe as long as Bob and Mike get farther than Knowles/Nestor and Bjorkman/Mirnyi...both teams are also in the quarterfinals. Anyone have ANY idea why the last two quarterfinal matches aren't on the schedule for today? Are they gonna make them play both their quarterfinal and their semifinal Saturday? Knowles/Nestor have already played their quarterfinal, but Bjorkman/Mirnyi vs. Santoro/Zimonjic and Hanley/Ullyett vs. Erlich/Ram aren't even on the schedule. I hate when they do that...

No, they are on the schedule :)
M1
from 11.00am
Jonathan ERLICH (ISR)/ Andy RAM (ISR) vs Paul HANLEY (AUS)/Kevin ULLYETT (ZIM)
followed by
Fabrice SANTORO (FRA)/ Nenad ZIMONJIC (SCG) vs Jonas BJORKMAN (SWE)/Max MIRNYI (BLR)
But the problem is: I don't see them on the SB now :scratch:

The guys won 6:3, 6:2 against FRIEDL/VIZNER :yeah: :bounce:
But.. Is it only me or it really was not as simple as it looks like by the scores? :scratch:
But well done anywhere:D :D

Odd...it didn't come up on my schedule. I hate this scoreboard/draw/oop/press conference thing they have for this tournament. It's too confusing and half the time it doesn't work right. Yesterday it REFUSED to show me Friday's schedule (and I KNEW it was out) and now it just cut off half the schedule. Weird. Sorry for the confusion everyone! :)

Great job Mike and Bob! I think the first set was more difficult than the scores made it appear Mashik, but the second set was easy. I watched the scores and the twins really didn't have much trouble at all. Now they move on to face Knowles/Nestor. They have an 11-7 head to head against them. The #1 ranking is on the line! Go Mike and Bob!! :D

Yes, I was talking about the 1st set too. The 2d one was obviously easy :D
So now they need to defend their #1 ranking face to face! Go Mike and Bob :bigclap: :bigclap:
I think it'll be very interesting match :D Hope, our TV finally does what they've promised (at least once :fiery: ) and show the twins match :)

I'll cross my fingers for you! I won't be seeing it, so I hope you do! :)

yay keep it up boys!

and for dusseldorf, the US is in a group with Chile, Spain, and Croatia...

Oh, noooooo... Not Croatia :awww: :sad: :crying2: :banghead:
BTW Will Andy play?

yes, andy will play, his brother is the team's captain :)

But the guys lost today to Knowles/Nestor in a match TB :(

Too bad they lost... must have been close :(

I am happy about next week though! Finally seeing Mike and Bob and some live tennis action again! It's been too long! ;)

Bryans :sad: I wish they could have beat Knowles and Nestor. Hopefully they play will at Dusseldorf.

Close match. Our guys really don't like those early morning matches and they had two in a row! lol Anyway, I think they retain their #1 ranking, because Knowles/Nestor were over 100 pts. behind them and Bjorkman/Mirnyi, who were closer in pts, lost in the semifinals too. So yay for that! :)

My stupid Net hasn't been working all day long and our TV of course didn't show the match :( And they lost... What a disappointing day :sad:
BTW It seems like the guys don't like both early matches and match TBs too :scratch:
But they are still #1 and that's good :D Waiting for the Dusseldorf ;)

:o the guys lost to Ljubicic/Karlovic in the world team cup..... they served for the 2nd set but lost it in a TB :(

:crying2:
Mike.. And his shoulder... :bigcry:
Did you see the match? :sad:

noooo oh no something's wrong with Mike's shoulder????????????? What? :(:(:(

Actually, yes :sad:
We've seen the match (finally we saw them, but it wasn't a very happy meeting :( )
During the 1st set he felt pain in his schoulder. After the 1st set he called the doctor. Then they continued to play, but it was not easy for him :hug:
And he dresses his cap backward before the last game of the 1st set :D

oh gosh I hope he is ok :sad:

Me too... :sad:
I don't know, may be it's better for them not to play in Dusseldorf anymore? :(
Mike, get better :hug:
BTW We recorded the match and wil try to upload it. Later ;)

Oh man! I hope Mike's shoulder is not too bad.... Hate to see him hurt again... Especially with Roland Garros and Wimbledon this close by :sad:

I hope Mike's shoulder is okay. Get better Mike :sad:

Well they played today and beat Gonzo/Massu in straights so I guess Mike's alright. I don't think he would've played in a meaningless match right before RG if he weren't ok.

Mike and Bob def Gonzalez/Massu 6:4, 7:5 :bigclap: :bigclap:
Mike's schoulder seems much better now :D

ah that's good to hear:D

Well the twins will play tomorrow against Spain and because of Andy's injury, Bob will play Verdasco! Good for him for putting himself out there against a guy who's real good on clay.... two hot lefties on the court at the same time. my dream! :haha:

Awesome! Good luck to Bob in his singles match and good luck to Bob and Mike in their doubles match! :) Go USA!

Who knows, if they play yestarday?
I can't understand anything: the official site says the double match was canceled, and our sport news says there was a ret. at 4:3 :scratch:
What's happened? :shrug:

Verdasco/Ferrer retired. they DIDN'T want to play but had to
go out anyway... That's why :fiery:

:fiery: :mad:

Verdasco/Ferrer retired. they DIDN'T want to play but had to
go out anyway... That's why :fiery:Really? that's lame, but glad it's nothing with the guys anyway. thanks Peggy:hug:

Deb u should change the thread name to French Open :D

the Bryans def. Sanguinetti/Seppi 6-3, 6-1 :yeah:

WAY TO GO TWINS!!! :bigclap: I really hope they win the title here.

:woohoo:

I will Peggy. I would've done it yesterday when the draw came out but I was on a plane all day:p

Nice easy win it seems. :)

Bob Bryan / Mike Bryan def. James Auckland / Andy Murray 6-1, 6-3 :yeah:

:woohoo: Keep it going guys :)

:bowdown: :banana: :couple:

Bryans def. Ljubicic/Vico 6-3, 6-4 :D

:bigclap: :bigclap:
:bounce: :bounce:
Who's next? :D

:woohoo: Awesome, keep it up guys!

:woohoo:

they will play Alberto Martin / Potito Starace

Good job Twins :woohoo: :bigclap: I hope they win RG.

Actually, Bob and Mike will take on Benneteau/Mahut in the next round. Go Mike and Bob!! :)

:bigclap: Keep it going guys!!!

:D:D
http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/tennis/french06/news/story?id=2469210

When a journalist asked if they shared everything, they said they drew the line at girlfriends and toothbrushes -- but not, necessarily, underwear. :lol:

Bryans def. Benneteau/Mahut 6-3, 6-1 :D

next Pavel/Waske

Well done! :D :yeah:

Good luck in the semies http://sm.smilik.ru/1127993025.gif http://sm.smilik.ru/1127993024.gif

WOOOOOOOOOOOT! :woohoo:

WAY TO GO TWINS!!!! :bigclap: I wish ESPN would at least show highlights of their matches, but I guess that is asking too much.

i hope the bryan brothers will beat pavel and waske. they got a really got play.

so guyz do it!

If the guys make the final that will set a new open era record for doubles consecutive finals!

also as the title suggests, they are the very last Americas at RG. (well Lisa Raymond is around still too :):p)

If the guys make the final that will set a new open era record for doubles consecutive finals!

also as the title suggests, they are the very last Americas at RG. (well Lisa Raymond is around still too :):p)


who hold the record for doubles consecutive finals now?

who hold the record for doubles consecutive finals now?

Todd Woodbrigde and Mark Woodforde. I think they had almost every record in doubles ;) Hopefully the twins can break it! Go Mike and Bob!! :D

WAY TO GO TWINS!!!! :bigclap: I wish ESPN would at least show highlights of their matches, but I guess that is asking too much.
Maybe they will now that all the USA singles players are out. We can only hope.

Maybe they will now that all the USA singles players are out. We can only hope.
Maybe if they make the final, they will show it like they did with AO.

hahahahaha wouldn't count on it, considering that NBC has the rights to the womens final.

hahahahaha wouldn't count on it, considering that NBC has the rights to the womens final.

haha
I don't care who shows it, NBC or ESPN, just that it gets televised. I actually think it's more likely that they'll show the mixed doubles if Bob/Navrotilova make the finals because they still think everyone wants to see her play.

the Bryans def. Pavel/Waske 6-3, 7-6 :woohoo:

@Tinne & Amber
I can't find the messageboard anymore. :help:

http://www.smiledrom.net/smile/emot/happy.gif Well done! http://www.smiledrom.net/smile/emot/happy.gif
One more match to win :D
And I will watch the match!!!! :bounce: Finally I'll see them :bounce:
http://sm.smilik.ru/1127153986.gif

:woohoo: 6 straight GS finals! Open Era record!

Win boys!

Bryans :woohoo: :woohoo: I'm so proud of them, this is an amazing streak. WIN THE FINAL BOYS!!!!!

Great win!! Awesome job! Bjorkman/Mirnyi here we come! ;)

Peggy: just go to http://bobandmike.com and click the messageboard link on the left side of the page. Tiffany got us a new board instead of the temporary one. You can also try the direct link: http://pub43.bravenet.com/forum/3674148070

Win the title boys!!!!! :bigclap:

:rolleyes: Another big final lost to Bjorkman/Mirnyi.

Bob & Mike :sad: anyway I am happy for Jonas & Max.

Mike & Bob http://smiles2.server.rc-mir.com/5edb9bedcdef4671863614970a809603.gif http://smiles.server.rc-mir.com/52d2aadfb3c044670799d5dc7997c513.gif
Why again??? http://smiles.server.rc-mir.com/7ab16a42388ea3dc820deaa9634b971d.gif

But I'm happy for Max and Jonas too. It was a really great match :yeah: