In an exhilarating conclusion to the 2023 Nitto ATP Finals held in Turin, the Finnish-British duo of Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten emerged victorious in the doubles category, showcasing impressive skill and resilience on the court. The second-seeded pair overcame the all-British team of Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski with a straight-sets victory of 7-5, 6-3 in a match that lasted 90 minutes.
This final was redeemptive for Heliovaara and Patten, who had previously faced defeat against Salisbury and Skupski during the round-robin stage, where they lost 7-6(7), 3-6, 10-7. In the semi-finals leading up to the title showdown, the duo claimed a notable victory over top seeds Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori, winning 6-4, 6-3. Throughout the final, Heliovaara and Patten demonstrated exceptional focus, managing to avoid any breakpoints against them, a testament to their strong teamwork and preparation.
Reflecting on the triumph, Heliovaara expressed his immense pride in their achievement, stating, “It is hard to describe. The whole week I have looked at the list of winners, with huge names, and I thought, if there was ever going to be my name on that, I am going to be so proud. To be there next to Henry is unreal.” This win capped off a remarkable season for the pair, who finished with a commendable 50-20 win-loss record, with prior victories at the Australian Open, the Paris Masters, and the Beijing 500.
Adding to the joy of the moment, Patten experienced a double celebration as he got engaged to his partner, Ellie Stone, earlier in the week. He shared his happiness, stating, “The tennis is pretty good but the engagement was something special. It has been a complete dream for me. Ellie has been here supporting me all week. I feel unbelievably lucky to have a partner like her and a partner like Harri.”
For Salisbury, the defeat marked a bittersweet end to a campaign in which he had previously won the ATP Finals title twice (in 2022 and 2023) alongside American Rajeev Ram. This year, however, he and Skupski fell short in their quest for the title after also finishing as runners-up in both the French Open and US Open finals earlier in the season. The British pair ended their season with a 46-22 win-loss record, highlighting a challenging year.
As the tournament concluded, the focus now shifts to the players’ preparations for the next season, with Heliovaara and Patten entering the off-season on a high note, setting the stage for what lies ahead in their careers.
