Bryans, citing health concerns, pull out of Olympics

Bob Bryan, right, and Mike Bryan, playing at Indian Wells in March, said
that as "husbands and fathers, our family's health is now our top priority."
Photo by Paul Bauman

   If 38-year-old twins Bob and Mike Bryan want a shot at another Olympic medal, they will have to wait until Tokyo in 2020.
   The former Stanford stars announced Saturday on Facebook that they have withdrawn from Rio de Janeiro, saying that as "husbands and fathers, our family's health is now our top priority."
   The Bryans did not mention the Zika virus, which has been linked to birth defects. Numerous athletes in tennis and other sports have pulled out of the Rio Games, which begin Friday and end Aug. 21.
   Rajeev Ram was added to the U.S. team to play doubles with Brian Baker.
   The Bryans won the men's doubles gold medal in London in 2012 and bronze medal in Beijing in 2008.
   On the regular tour, the Bryans have won a record 16 Grand Slam titles in men's doubles but none since the 2014 U.S. Open. They reached the French Open final in June, losing to Spaniards Feliciano Lopez and Marc Lopez (no relation).
   It's hardly out of the question that the Bryans will play in the Tokyo Games. Canadian doubles specialist Daniel Nestor, a gold medalist with Sebastien Lareau in Sydney in 2000, will team with Vasek Pospisil in Rio at age 43.