Australian record-breaking duo Mark Woodforde and Todd Woodbridge are on the verge of being eclipsed by American brothers Bob and Mike Bryan as the 2010 Farmers Classic got underway at the Los Angeles Tennis Center.
The Woodies are currently the most successful men's doubles team in history, with 61 titles in a 10-year stretch from the Donnay Indoor Championships in 1991 to the Cincinnati Masters in 2000.
Yet it seems a foregone conclusion that the Bryans will overtake that record - and soon. The brothers, from Camarillo, California, have been stranded on 61 titles since they took out the Madrid Masters in straight sets in May.
In the following months they've been bundled out in major upsets in the second round of the French Open and the quarter-finals at Wimbledon.
Now the Bryans are on their home turf, and taking their first steps towards claiming the record as their own. On Wednesday night they walked away with a straight-sets victory over Mardy Fish and Mark Knowles in the first round.
Woodforde is in Los Angeles covering the Farmers Classic for the Tennis Channel, and says he hopes the Bryans' feat gets the recognition it deserves when they finally take title No.62.
"I want to be here on the court to shake their hands when they break the record," Woodforde said.
"I want to make sure it is a little bit of a big deal when they win No.62."
"Todd lives in Melbourne where his kids are in school, so he can't be around as much, but we both feel we'd like to be able to shake Bob and Mike's hands when they get the record. We'd like to make it feel special because, really, it is."
Mike, a five-time champion of his home tournament along with his brother, says there's no place like home as they aim for the record.
"It feels great to be on that court," he said.
"You look around and see a lot of familiar faces and it gives you a shot of energy. We played on that court when we were six years old and probably every year since. It's our favourite court in the world."
While acknowledging that claiming the record in front of their home crowd would be special, Bob says the duo feel no pressure as they move into the quarter-finals.
"I mean, we're going to be playing another three or four years," he said.
"It's not like we're not pretty sure we're going to get the record. But it would be nice if we could do it at home."
The Bryans face Ernests Gulbis and Dmitry Tursunov on Thursday night.
Aussie wildcards Carsten Ball and Chris Guccione were bundled out 6-3 6-7 (4-7) 10-6 by relative unknowns Eric Butorac and Jean-Julien Rojer.