Mike Bryan: We May Play in 2021 In Case There is No More Tennis This Year

Mike Bryan, one half of the legendary Bryan Brothers duo, says his focus has moved away from tennis to his wife and the arrival of their first child in the coming weeks. The Bryan Brothers were expected to retire at the end of the US Open but with the tennis season being shutdown till July at least, the Bryans are not sure if they will be able to say goodbye as planned. However, for now. Mike Bryan tells the ATP Tour website that his focus is on his domestic life.

Mike says, "I’m hunkered down with my wife Nadia in our home in Camarillo, California counting down the days to the birth of our first son in less than three weeks. Staying healthy and scrounging for some of life’s necessities has replaced chasing titles on the Tour. Although no-one wanted this fight with COVID-19 and its life-changing consequences, it’s proven to be an opportunity for me to slow down, be with Nadia and just savour these moments in the final days of her pregnancy. I have seen how much joy it has brought to Bob’s life and how his priorities have shifted. But it’s been far from a conventional countdown to the birth as baby basics like wipes and diapers have been stripped from store shelves."

The 41 year old says they have built a nursery at home and his wife, Nadia, wants to have an all natural birth. "Back at home, however, the nursery is dialled in. We have got a boy coming, so the room is painted blue. We have got little aeroplanes painted on the wall, a map. We’ve got the crib, toys and it is looking good. We are ready for this little guy. Baby Jake. We have got the name picked out and we are pumped for this little guy. He is kicking. While expectant dads at some hospitals are being excluded from delivery wards, I’m thankful to know that I will be with Nadia when baby Jake comes bouncing into the world because we’ll be using a birthing centre and midwife just a few miles from home. Nadia wants to do all natural, like the holistic birth. She might go in the bathtub and have the baby. She doesn’t want any meds, no epidural like 99 per cent of people do in the States. She’s Slovakian and her whole family does it the natural way. Whenever it is time, we are just going to open the door, head to the birth centre and go to work. One thing on our minds is that we won’t be able to share this joyous occasion with family and friends as we would like to. We are being super cautious because of the virus. We are on lockdown for the safety of the baby and Nadia’s health. My parents live down the street and Bob is around, although we’re not seeing a lot of him or the kids. We are just super careful, because you never know what complications can arise if she gets sick. When Jake comes, I definitely think we will just keep the baby in the house for the time being until they find a cure, this curve flattens or whatever. It is a bubble shield over the house right now."

Finally, on their retirement plans, Mike says they hope they get an opportunity to say goodbye at the US Open but may decide to play in 2021 in case they don't. "We just hope we can play the US Open one last time and some of the US hard-court tournaments. We had always said that the US Open would be our last event but we have just got to wait and see. If we can’t play another match for the rest of the year, if we can’t play the US Open, then there is a possibility of playing on in 2021."

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/3b1a0T1