In a battle of the bros, Sam Groth and Robert Lindstedt upset the third-seeded team of Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan, who have won a record 16 Grand Slam doubles titles, 7-6 (4), 6-3, in the second round of the French Open.
It's the latest concerning slip-up at a major for the Bryans, who have not won a Grand Slam title since the 2014 U.S. Open. They have reached three major finals since—including the past two French Open finals—but have now lost before the fourth round in four of their last 10 Grand Slam tournament appearances.
The twin American brothers have made for a natural pair since surfacing on this planet. The connection between the 29-year-old Aussie and the 40-year-old Swede isn't as clear. They partnered just twice in 2016 (with their first loss coming against the Bryans, in Stuttgart), but made the most of their short time together, reaching the round of 16 at Wimbledon. Lindstedt, who asked Groth to team up again this year because of his week-to-week commitment to doubles, is a three-time Wimbledon doubles champion.
Lindstedt and Groth reunited ever since the tour came to Europe (Groth reached the doubles quarterfinals at the Australian Open, but was playing with compatriot Chris Guccione), going 1-2 in clay tune-up tournaments. But Groth's giant serve and Lindstedt's time-tested volleys have resulted in a successful combination in Paris.
It's also resulted in a pleasant pairing, like old friends meeting up after time apart. That was evident during their sit-down interview on Tennis Channel: