NEW YORK (AP)—The Bryan brothers aren’t quite sure what to do with all the free time suddenly on their hands.
The top-ranked Americans lost a first-round doubles match at a Grand Slam tournament for the first time since the 2001 Australian Open. Unseeded Ivo Karlovic and Frank Moser beat the twins 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 at the U.S. Open on Wednesday.
Bob and Mike Bryan had won three of the last four major titles, tying the Open era record with their 11th Grand Slam championship earlier this summer at Wimbledon.
“We’re used to being in the second week,” Mike Bryan said. “It’s going to be weird.”
They struggled against the 6-foot-10 Karlovic’s powerful serve.
“It was an awkward matchup,” Mike said. “And we’re never really playing our best tennis early in these Grand Slams.”
Bob will still play mixed doubles here with Liezel Huber as the two defend their title at Flushing Meadows. Mike’s Open is over.
Karlovic, who has been ranked as high as 14th in singles, leads the ATP Tour in several serve-related statistical categories. He wins 80 percent of points on his first serve and 91 percent of his service games and saves 72 percent of break points.
The Croat is in the second round of the singles draw at the U.S. Open.
Moser, a 34-year-old German, has never been ranked better than 288th in singles, and that was in 2003. His best doubles performance in a major tournament was twice reaching the second round at Wimbledon with different partners.
“That was the match of his life,” Bob Bryan said.