2018 Year in Review: Bryan & Sock's big year

Love-15: As 2018 draws to a close, USTA.com is taking a look back at the top 15 storylines, headlines and highlights from the year in American tennis. Now up, Jack Sock steps in for an injured Bob Bryan to team with Mike Bryan for an overwhelmingly successful year in doubles.

Bob and Mike Bryan, the all-time winningest doubles team in the history of tennis, had an outstanding start to 2018, winning two titles (Miami, Monte Carlo), reaching three finals (Acapulco, Indian Wells, Madrid) and advancing to two semifinals (Australian Open, Houston).

But then Bob went out with a hip injury at Madrid in May that eventually required surgery, and Mike was forced to find a replacement to fill in for his twin brother until he could return to the court. He contacted Jack Sock, and it was one of the best calls he could have made. The duo had an immediate connection and went on to overwhelming success for the rest of 2018.

Bryan and Sock teamed together for the first time at the Fever-Tree Championships in London, where they reached the quarterfinals. A few weeks later, in only their second tournament as a team, they captured the men’s doubles championship at Wimbledon. They followed up that victory with another Grand Slam title at the US Open to become the first team since Jonas Bjorkman and Todd Woodbridge in 2003 to win Wimbledon and the US Open in the same season. The duo later went on to claim the title at the Nitto ATP Finals in London in November.

All told, Bryan and Sock won three of the eight tournaments they competed in together over a five-month stretch, compiling a 20-6 record overall. The American duo also shot up to the top of the doubles rankings with their solid results – a 40-year-old Mike making history by becoming the oldest player, in either singles or doubles, to achieve the No. 1 ranking, almost 15 years after he first achieved the world’s top ranking in 2003, and Sock moving up to a career-high No. 2.

The duo’s amazing results did not go unnoticed, as they were recognized by tennis fans around the globe by being voted the ATPWorldTour.com Fans’ Favourite doubles team in the 2018 ATP World Tour Awards – an award that Mike had previously won with his brother from 2005-17.

With Bob Bryan expected to return to action in 2019, it looks like the successful American pairing’s time together has come to a close, but it will be a season that the players won’t soon forget.

"[I have had] unreal memories with Jack this year. We're kind of closing the book on our partnership because Bob is coming back,” Mike Bryan said after capturing the ATP Finals trophy. “But we're always going to be great friends and hang out in the off-season."

"For me, this is special," said Sock. "Big thanks to Mike for the phone call earlier this year to play. Honestly, all these moments are for Bob. I've known these guys for a long time; we are very good friends. I know he has been watching everything... This is for you Bob. I hope you are watching."

For more American tennis highlights from 2018, be sure to check out our Year in Review page here.