Tennis legends share tips, tricks and stories at the Lake Club

The Bryan brothers don't do anything at half effort. 

Especially not a clinic at the Lake Club. 

"Come on, hit a return," Bob Bryan said to his twin brother Mike Bryan during the Feb. 10 clinic. The Bryan brothers, who won 16 Grand Slam doubles titles together, the most in men's tennis history, were taking on a rotation of pairs from the Lake Club, and they were struggling. They weren't showcasing their best stuff, of course, and they were laughing along with everyone else — but Bob's desire to win a point was real. 

The brothers, now 42, won 119 total titles together, plus a gold medal at the 2012 Olympics in London. The brothers are mirror twins, meaning one of them is right-handed (Mike) and one of them is left-handed (Bob). That's partly why the pair has had great success.

They complement each other's strengths.

But every good thing comes to an end and the Bryans retired from professional tennis in 2020. They are now plotting their next moves, they said, which might include clinics like the one at the Lake Club. 

Despite their professional careers being over, they still have fun together, they said, and they're still learning things about each other. The pair got a shock in 2019 when Mike Bryan was preparing to marry his now-wife, Nadia Murgasova, and needed a copy of his birth certificate. 

"I always thought I was two minutes older than him [Bob]," Mike Bryan said. "It turns out he's two minutes older than me. I looked and my certificate said 'second twin.' It's a weird thing. Our parents messed it up at birth. Bob's the bigger one and the older one."

Mike Bryan said the revelation has not changed the brothers' dynamic, other than some light teasing. Their chemistry became so important to their career success, he said, that it's hard to break at this point. 

Bob Bryan agreed. After being together on and off the court for so long, they have learned each others' quirks — and learned to live with them. 

“We have to be equals," Bob Bryan said. "We pretty much just keep our mouths shut. That is the only way it works with twins." 

At the Lake Club, the brothers had their usual good time, and it extended to the clinic's participants. Tig Winsler, a Lake Club member, said the clinic was "magical."

"Not only did I have fun, but I learned a lot, too," Winsler said. "They gave us tips for playing doubles, like how to move when not hitting the ball. There's a lot to think about when you're on the court. I have played tennis my whole life and this still helped me."

Winsler said she hasn't tried out her newfound skills in a real doubles match yet — the rain washed out a planned match on Feb. 13 — but she feels more equipped for success. Plus, she said, the brothers themselves were sharp and personable. Winsler said Mike Bryan complimented her forehand shot and called her "Tiggy," which is typically only used by close friends of hers, but she made an exception for him. It got a good laugh out of her. 

Bob Bryan said hosting clinics like the one at the Lake Club is still new for the pair. They're deciding exactly how (and if) they want to run them in the future. For now, the biggest thing is maintaining their working relationship. Mike Bryan lives in Tampa while Bob Bryan lives in Miami. The residences are close enough to do events like this one, they said, but far enough away to feel like they are living their own lives. 

There are some unknowns, but the Bryans are excited about the possibilities. 

“We know we love tennis, Mike Bryan said. "We want to stay in tennis and we want to teach the lessons that we have learned over the years said. If we can make a couple of people excited about it and make them better, that is what we are here to do.”