December 18, 2010
Warren's a smash at Rock-n-Rackets
By Rick Ruggles
Pete Sampras still plays lovely tennis, the Bryan Bros. Band is bearable, and Warren Buffett's overhead is no smash.
These were among the findings of the Rock-n-Racquets tennis exhibition Friday night at Qwest Center Omaha.
The event included a mixture of excellent tennis, rock music and humor. It featured Mike and Bob Bryan, the twins who have dominated the world of men's doubles over the past eight years; Sampras, who officially retired from competitive tennis in 2003; Sam Querrey, a 23-year-old American who is in the top 25 in the world; and investment guru Buffett, who played a bit of doubles Friday night.
The humor was largely provided by the Bryan brothers' father, Wayne, who served as emcee and is sort of a nice version of Don Rickles.
A reporter-estimated 4,000 people turned out for the exhibition.
Sampras defeated Querrey 8-4 in what is known as a pro set, and the Bryan brothers beat Sampras and Querrey 7-6 in doubles.
Wayne Bryan, 63, provided commentary through portions of the show. "Who loves the great Warren Buffett?" he asked at the start. "You know," Bryan kidded, "he won Wimbledon back in 1907. Very few people know that."
Buffett blew an overhead and hit a couple decent forehand volleys. Then the gag went that Sampras would give Buffett a tennis tip in exchange for some investment advice. Buffett whispered in Sampras' ear. "It was slightly off color, actually," Wayne Bryan said of the advice.
Bob Bryan, the left-handed twin, participated despite having gotten married early this week.
"This is his honeymoon, right here in Omaha," his twin brother joked before the event.
Andy Roddick, a Nebraska native and top-ranked American player, was scheduled to participate but pulled out late this week because of a bad back. Querrey took his place.
Roddick appeared on a video on the scoreboard, bearded and looking a bit haggard. "Hey Omaha, um, I'm sorry I couldn't be with you tonight," he said. "Unfortunately doctors advised me not to play or even travel."
Other performers in the exhibition were Cami Hubbs of Omaha, who now plays tennis at Ohio State; Omahan Jackson Withrow, who has committed to play tennis at Texas A&M; and former Nebraska and NBA basketball player Eric Piatkowski.
Earlier, the group provided a beginners' tennis clinic for about 25 students from Kellom Elementary School. Wayne Bryan emceed that, too.
His sons performed a drill at the clinic in which they rallied rapid-fire with each at the net.
"Don't let people tell you that tennis is a hard game to play," Wayne Bryan told the children as his sons carried out the astonishing drill. "Tennis is easy."
It's a drill they've been doing since they were 3, their dad said later.