By Carrie Rupp

It’s not every day you get the chance to play tennis against a pro, but for Will Martinez of Greenville, Del., his dream came true – times two.

“It’s something I’ll never forget,” Martinez said.

Hundreds of fans braved the rain on July 11, 2007, opting to stay and watch the No. 1 male tennis duo in the world, the Bryan Brothers, and their team the Kansas City Explorers take on the hometown Delaware Smash at DuPont Country Club. Martinez and his mother, Cherie, were among those fans.

After a nearly two-hour rain delay, the Smashes’ owner Jeff Harrison informed the eager fans the court needed a few more minutes to dry. In the interim, a few lucky fans got the chance of a lifetime – an opportunity to play doubles against the stars of the show, Mike and Bob Bryan.

Sitting in the front-row of DuPont Stadium, Cherie beckoned to Harrison, asking if her son, Will, could take on the brothers. Harrison smiled and said yes.

“I wasn’t sure what to think when my mom asked him,” Martinez said. “I was thinking I was too nervous to do it, but then I realized this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I had to do it.”

Dressed in a cut-off T-shirt and cut-off sweat pants, Martinez searched the stands for his friend and doubles partner, Curtis Fincher. The two, who have been doubles partners for the last year, jumped the railing onto the multi-colored Har-Tru court, ready as they’d ever be to take on two tennis pros.

In front of an enthusiastic crowd, which included tennis legend Billie Jean King, Martinez and Fincher took on the ultimate doubles opponents. The short duel began with Fincher returning a Bob Bryan serve directly into the chest of Mike Bryan, evoking laughter from the rain-soaked crowd. The rest of the match was lively and competitive, with the good natured Bryan Brothers coming out on top, despite a few solid volleys and even a mimicked chest bump by Martinez and Fincher.

“We didn’t plan the chest bump,” Martinez said. “Curtis just looked at me, and we knew we were going to do it. It was the perfect time.”

“We actually always do it during our doubles matches,” Martinez said.

Having the opportunity to chest-bump in front of the duo that made the chest-bump “cool” again is something Martinez will never forget.

“The Bryan Brothers are just such awesome tennis players,” Martinez said. “They have so much energy. They’re always into their match, bouncing up and down and moving around the court. They’re always communicating.”

Martinez noted the Bryan Brothers are players he aims to model his game around. Although James Blake is his favorite tennis player, the avid golfer and recreational basketball player thinks the Bryans and doubles tennis are climbing the ladder.

“I really like playing singles because all of the pressure is on you – you control your own destiny,” Martinez said. “But doubles is a lot of fun because it’s more of a team atmosphere, you get to know your partner so well and learn how to communicate. You have someone to pump you up when you’re down.”

Pumped up is something Martinez will be for a long time. The next time he steps on a court, it won’t be against the Bryan Brothers, but he’ll always have that memory to motivate him on his tennis journey.