French Open 2011: Bryan Brothers Keep American Hope Alive in Paris

As the 10th seeded American Mardy Fish left Paris this weekend after his loss to Gilles Simon, many are forgetting there are still two Americans left in Paris.

Who? Bob and Mike Bryan.

The Bryan brothers are quietly and confidently winning matches and making their way toward the finals at Roland Garros. The pair are currently ranked No.1 in the ATP World Tour Men’s Doubles rankings.

Unfortunately, doubles are not covered like men's and women's singles matches and as a result, not many people realize there are two Americans still vying for a win at the 2011 French Open.

It is true that American tennis fans were spoiled by the Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, Michael Chang, and Jim Courier era where wins were par for the course and major championships were plentiful. This is no longer the case.

American men's tennis has been filled with disappointment lately, as key players are fighting injuries and fighting to get into the quarters at majors.

The Bryan brothers are the exception.

Their win over Teymuraz Gabashvili and Mikhail Kukushkin in straight sets advances the Bryan brothers into the quarterfinals at the 2011 French Open.

Consistency has been a key characteristic for this doubles team their entire career and the 2011 season is no exception. They won at the Australian Open this year as well as racking up wins in Houston, Monte Carlo and Madrid.

They are no strangers to major championship titles either. Together, they have  won 10 Grand Slam Men's doubles titles. Bob has won seven Grand Slam Mixed Doubles titles and Mike has won two.

Could a 2011 French Open title for the Bryans be in the making? American tennis fans can only hope.

So, as you watch Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and others battle it out for the men's singles title, let's not forget the Americans.

Watch and enjoy Bob and Mike Bryan as they battle through matches with finesse and celebrate with chest bumps as they make their way toward the finals at Roland Garros.

Let's not take them for granted.