Bob Bryan

And one thing that's interesting, listeners, if you go to Will's podcast, and then he can tell us before we sign off other ways to follow him, but...

Will's the one who's asking top people in the game, I mean, legends and doubles, you know, what could be done to improve doubles? And I've listened to so many of your podcasts here in the last 10 days, but the I-formation, I think it might have been Bob Bryan, if he just said if the partner of the server had to stay at the service line, You know, I also heard one serve.

You know, it's just, what, 2.3 hits.

Andy Fitzell, I know you know Will.

I've had conversations about this with people and the kind of Consensus, I guess, or most common answer I would say that I get is the biggest transition was what I mentioned earlier around that 2000 mark where polyester string became a thing.

And this is something that Bob has talked to me about.

I'm Bob Bryan.

And it generated so much more topspin on the ground strokes that all of a sudden the serve and volley became a little bit more difficult, right? And today we're seeing, I think it's around half of the ATP men serve and stay back.

And some tennis news.

More than 150 men's doubles players, including British world number one Henry Patton and legendary twins Bob Ryan and Mike Bryan, have called on the ATP Tour to reconsider proposed reforms they believe could threaten the future of doubles tennis.

In an open letter signed by current players, former stars and national federations, The group proposed plans to reduce draw sizes and cut prize money from 2028.

The players warned that the changes could damage careers and limit opportunities within the discipline, arguing that doubles remains an important and historic part of the sport.

I think having, you know, a, a outlet or something else to kinda go to, to kinda release those, you know, those, I guess, constant things in whatever sport that that kid is playing, to be able to have different outlets i- is huge.

I see, you know, there's an incredible example, the club that I'm running now, um, Bob Bryan is one of the most successful double players.

Pr- Him and his brother Mike Bryan are-

Yeah

But when you're playing these, these junior tournaments on the weekend tournaments around here, like it's, it's atrocious, I'm telling you.

Like some of the calls that, that I've seen just walking around and being at these junior tournaments, it's hard to watch.

I say, I, I'm, I e- I talked to Bob Bryan about it the, the other day, and he's like, "Man, like I, I can't watch sometimes." You know, he's like, "I, I, I have to walk away when it gets that bad."

bad."Well, and as a parent, it comes back to-

We met playing tennis together in high school.

In fact, at the same high school where Mike and Bob Bryan played tennis, here in Southern California.

My question, having watched the US Open final and thought it was incredible to see Zverev win his second Grand Slam as somebody with Type 1 diabetes, was more about the moment with Ben Shelton giving a speech right after losing a final.

I've been there.

[coughs]

... his brother, Bob Bryan, uh, the Bryan brothers won 18 Grand Slams.

They just got in the Tennis Hall of Fame.

He contacted me a couple years ago on my fledgling Instagram account, and I thought it was a scam.

He was driving-

[laughs]

... to Delray Beach with his wife, lovely wife, Nadia, and his kids 'cause his, uh, he and his brother headline the Delray, uh, tournament, the tennis tournament-

Mm