ORLANDO, Fla., March 13, 2023 – The USTA announced today that tennis legend and Davis Cup champion Bob Bryan has been named the next captain of the US Davis Cup Team. Bryan assumes the role immediately and will make his debut as full-time captain during the US team’s Group Stage Finals matches on September 12-17.
“I am extremely honored and humbled by this opportunity to captain the United States Davis Cup Team. I am inspired to watch young American players continue to rise and am motivated to contribute to this positive momentum,” said Bryan. “I am grateful to represent my country in the Davis Cup. These experiences have offered me my proudest moments on the court and my most memorable memories. Playing Davis Cup was a dream for me as a young junior and the goal of making the team drove me as I played on tour. I look forward to working with the players, their coaches, teams, and the USTA support staff on our mission to bring the Cup back to the United States.”
Bryan competed in 31 ties for the US from 2003-20 and was part of the US team that won its record 32nd Davis Cup title in 2007. He and brother Mike went a combined 25-5 in Davis Cup doubles matches for the US, setting records for team doubles wins and years played (15) and high on the team records list in several other categories.
Bryan was also closely involved with the team as a coach in 2022. He assisted captain Mardy Fish and coach David Nainkin to the team’s success in Qualifying a year ago and served as the team’s acting captain in their Group Stage Finals ties, guiding in the US to a 2-1 record and Final 8 qualification.
As captain, Bryan will also have an active, year-round role with USTA Player and Coach Development, traveling to tournaments and camps to support American players and serving as a mentor for American pros and juniors.
“Few players in the history of the game have embodied a champion the way Bob Bryan has,” said Brian Hainline, Chairman of the Board and President, USTA. “Bob’s consistent and sustained success at the highest level, as well as his demonstrated leadership in the team environment, make him the perfect captain for the Davis Cup Team in the midst of an exciting time for the American men’s tennis.”
The US team defeated Uzbekistan in February with Nainkin as interim captain to qualify for the Group Stage of the 2023 Finals, which will feature four groups of four nations each competing in four different locations around the world. The top two finishers of each group will advance to the Final 8 stage, which will crown this year’s champion November 21-26 in Malaga, Spain.
The Bryan brothers played their last professional match at the 2020 Davis Cup Qualifiers before retiring. Together they won a team-record 16 Grand Slams and 119 titles, spending 438 weeks as co-No. 1s and won Olympic Gold at the 2012 London Olympics.