It’s a brotherly feel in Breakers’ win

Rick Devereux

With the arrival of the No. 1 men’s doubles team in the world to its

lineup, the set everyone was talking about following the Newport

Beach Breakers’ 20-17 victory over the Delaware Smash Saturday night

in World Team Tennis was -- the women’s singles?

“The women’s singles set was the key to the victory,” said Mike

Bryan, half of the Bryan Brothers duo. “We were behind and [Aniko

Kapros] got us tied up going into the men’s doubles. It took a lot of

pressure off of [me and my brother, Bob] because all we had to do was

win our doubles set. If she didn’t win, all the pressure would have

been on us in that last set.”

Kapros dominated Samantha Reeves, 5-1, in the next to last set of

the match to even the score at 15-15. Following losses in the mixed

and women’s double sets and a victory by Bob Bryan in men’s single,

Kapros and the Breakers (3-1) entered the women’s singles match

against last year’s WTT No. 1 women’s singles player and Female MVP

in Reeves down 13-10. Kapros hit a cross shot to win the second game

of the set, 4-0, and kept the pressure on Reeves the entire set,

running her from line to line. Reeves was visibly upset, smacking her

racket against the net and complaining about the noise at the

Palisades Tennis Club.

“I went out there and just tried to get us even,” Kapros said. “I

felt that our team could come back, especially with the Bryan

Brothers at men’s doubles.”

As is the prerogative of the home team, Coach Dick Leach

determined the order of sets and stacked the Breakers to finish

strong with Bob Bryan in men’s singles, Kapros in women’s singles and

the Bryan Brothers at men’s doubles. Those three sets outscored

Delaware (3-1), 15-7.

“Those two singles matches were the difference,” Bob said. “It

gave us a boost going into the men’s doubles.” Leach was pleased with

results of the final three sets.

“The Bryan Brothers gave us a lot of energy,” Leach said. “And

Kapros got us back in there when we were down.”

Bob Bryan waved his hands to pump up the crowd during the final

game of men’s doubles and he and Mike did their signature chest

bumps.

“I haven’t been that pumped up in long time,” Mike said. “I was

[mad] that we were down and really wanted to win for Leach.”

The Bryans are family friends with Leach and almost went to USC to

play for Leach when he was the Trojans’ head coach, but the twins

opted for Stanford.

“We almost went to ‘SC,” Bob said. “It was a toss up.” The

Breakers will host the New York Sportimes tonight at 7 p.m. and

nine-time Grand Slam winner Monica Seles, a special treat for both

Newport Beach fans and players.

“She was my idol since I started playing tennis,” Kapros said.

“I’m just going to go out there and play my game.” For Leach, he sees

his team on a roll and doesn’t think Seles or the 1-4 Sportimes

interrupting the Breakers winning ways.

“[New York] is in for a butt-kicking,” Leach said.