Bob, Mike wrap up the 'Bryans Slam' at Wimbledon

GOLDEN BRYAN SLAM

WIMBLEDON, England — Bob and Mike Bryan feel like they're playing with house money. And that has them playing better than ever.

Saturday at Wimbledon, the 35-year-old California twins beat Ivan Dodig and Marcelo Melo 3-6, 6-

3, 6-4, 6-4 to capture their third Wimbledon title and fourth Grand Slam championship in a row.

 They are the first men's team in the Open era to hold all four majors at once, plus an Olympic gold medal from last year's London Games — the so-called "Golden Bryans Slam."

"Everything now feels like a bonus," said lefthander Bob following their record 15th overall major. "It just feels like we're adding nuts and whipped cream and cherries to our great career. We said that a few years ago: if we retire today, we feel like we've done it all. Let's go have some fun and add to whatever this is."

The Bryans survived some tension after falling behind 0-5 and dropping the first set to Melo and Dodig, who were playing their first Grand Slam final together.

 "It was a rough start," Bob said. "Those guys played hot. Our legs were a little Jell-o-y."

But they soon got on track. "We found or rhythm, got a hold, and then started stacking hold after hold and added pressure on them until we got the breaks," he said.

If they win the U.S. Open, they'll join Ken McGregor and Frank Sedgman as the second men's team to complete a calendar Grand Slam. The Aussie duo did it in 1951, 17 years before the Open era began.

And how's this for symmetry for a partnership and lifetime founded on it: The Bryans have won their last 24 matches at Grand Slam tournaments and leave Wimbledon on a career-best 24-match winning streak.

Their growing list of records — the Bryans are already the most decorated doubles duo in history — has allowed the Bryans to play without burden. Taking care of their bodies has kept them fit. Getting married, and in Bob's case, having a child, has helped organize priorities.

 "We've put the game in the right perspective in our life," Bob said. "When we lose, it's not the end of the world."

Plus, he added: "We've done it all in the sport, and now we're just out there taking swings and not living and dying with every win and loss."

While the Bryans are still three shy of McGregor and Sedgman's seven consecutive major titles, consider this: Unlike previous generations, they have accomplished their personal four-peat in an era of best-of-three set matches (Wimbledon plays best-of-five) and tiebreakers, where the margins are often thinner.

Just last month they won their second French Open title against Nicolas Mahut and Michael Llodra of France with a tight final-set tiebreak 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (7-4).

"You need a bit of luck, you need to keep your head down and you have to be good," said righty Mike. "And do everything right to shift the margins in your favor and hope the dice get hot."

Besides the calendar year Slam they will be seeking in New York, the brothers said they would like to win 100 titles — they have 91 now — and finish No. 1 for 10 years. They have done so eight times already and are in strong position to add a ninth in 2013.

"I didn't think anything could feel as sweet as the gold medal, but this one just feels like there's a cap, a lid, or a ribbon around our career," said Bob.

In women's doubles, Hsieh Su-wei of Taiwan and Peng Shuai of China, the No. 8 seeds, defeated the Australian duo of Ashleigh Barty and Casey Dellacqua 7-6 (9-7), 6-1.