EBA583D8-041A-4B97-9E47-14C848AFFC58
By Richard Pagliaro
© Andy Kentla
(September 9, 2010) The explosive collision was supplanted by an exuberant embrace. Bob Bryan grew up in California and South African-born Liezel Huber is an American citizen who lives outside of Houston. Together, the American tandem came together to collect the first championship of this US Open, scoring a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Kveta Peschke and Pakistan's Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi in the mixed doubles final.
The shared positive posture powered the pair to the title.
"I felt like we had a good attitude, good kind of an outlook, because in mixed things can go wrong. You're never really safe, you know," Bob Bryan said. "You can be up 5-2 and it's 5-All in a heartbeat. You have to keep light hearted in the whole situation. I think the smiles are what got us through. Yeah, smiles."
The veteran pair played aggressive doubles showing off rapid reflex volleys, fast feet and prescient positioning on court as the ingredients for a title feast.
"We hit some reflexes, we got some returns in play. Ham and eggs," Bob Bryan said. "And (in) the wind, sometimes you just gotta, it's all about hands and moving your feet quickly and just piecing together points when they're not there."
When adrenalized emotion erupts through his muscles, Bob Bryan unleashes it with a celebratory crash and typically his partner, twin Mike Bryan, bears the brunt of the flying chest bumps. Bob was tempted to unleash a celebrator chest bump today, but Huber advised him to save it for later.
"He wants to chest bump, chest bump, chest bump. I'm like, 'No. Do it with your girlfriend; don't chest bump me,' " Huber said. "Just joking. No, we don't chest bump. I'm just scared like I will hurt myself."
In just their second professional event playing together, the pair persevered through their toughest test in the second round, dispatching American teenagers Melanie Oudin and Ryan Harrison, 5-7, 6-1, 10-3. Prone to periods of pushing their shots in that match, Huber and Bryan urged each other to take bigger cuts at the ball and move forward with conviction. They did not drop a set for the rest of the tournament.
"We haven't played in like a year and a half, and it's only the second time ever we played (together)," Huber said. "We played against Melanie Oudin and Harrison, and we were just guiding and pushing the ball. When we started being aggressive, it was much easier. So I think there were a couple of points in this match we were kind of guiding. It was midway in the second set, and then we realized we just needed to be aggressive. (Bob) is very supportive. He says, 'I don't care if you miss the ball. Just keep hitting it.' "
When it was over Bryan dropped to his knees and hailed Huber for her performance. Both Huber and Bryan played the final with much more on their minds. Huber's twin sister is scheduled to undergo vascular surgery in New York City on Tuesday and Bryan will team with twin brother Mike to take on Qureshi and Rohan Bopanna in the men's doubles final.
Huber who contributes to charitable causes in and around the Houston area said tennis gives her the platform to give back.
"Right now I'm bringing a boy from South Africa; he's 11 months old and he has a vascular disease. My twin sister has a vascular disease; she is having surgery on Tuesday herself here in New York," Huber said. "I just want to do everything. I'm trying to really just focus on getting one thing done and then moving on to the next thing. But we are very fortunate. We live on the outskirts of Houston, and we raise awareness to the local causes, toy drives, food drives, helping the local kids that can't afford shoes on their feet. You know, more local.
I know there's huge problems everywhere else, but I think if everybody can help one person, it's gonna be so great. Now they'll be able to help a ton,because the money here goes such a far ways over there."
The Bryan brothers are contributing $10,000 from their foundation to help the victims of the recent floods that have devastated Pakistan — a gesture Qureshi thanked Bryan for on the court after the final.
Etching his name on the silver mixed doubles title trophy today, Byran will write a check when the tournament ends.
"We've talked about it. Those guys are great guys. Everyone in the locker room likes them," Bryan said of Qureshi and Bopanna said. "Just hearing about the problem, talked about it with my brother and my dad, and just wanted to do it. You know, Qureshi didn't know about it, but right when this tournament is over we'll write a check and do it."