The unseeded pairing of Britain’s Henry Patten and Finland’s Harri Heliovaara saved three match points in the second set before beating the Australian duo of Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson 6-7(7) 7-6(8) 7-6(11-9) in the men’s doubles final at Wimbledon for their first Grand Slam title on Saturday.
It’s surreal and the most amazing thing about it is being there with family and friends, sharing it with them, those that have supported me for such a long time. I’m overwhelmed.
Henry Patten
Heliovaara became the first Finnish male to win the Wimbledon doubles and sank to his knees in tears after he and Patten converted their second match point. He then put his head on his partner’s shoulder, still sobbing, as they sat in their chairs and waited for the trophy presentation.
“The tears say it all,” Heliovaara said. “It’s very emotional.”
Harri Heliovaara lets his emotions out
Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Patten is the third British man in the professional era to win the men’s doubles at The Championships, joining Jonathan Marray in 2012 and Neal Skupski last year.
“It’s bizarre for me because I probably wasn’t prepared to win this tournament,” Patten, a former IBM statistician at Wimbledon, said. “It is only the second time I’ve played it,”
“So, yeah that’s a crazy stat. I idolised Jonny Marray and Skupski last year, they are big heroes of mine. To be joining them as Wimbledon champions is phenomenal. Yeah, that is a nice stat to have.
Henry Patten raises his arms in a victory salute
(Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
“It’s surreal and the most amazing thing about it is being there with family and friends, sharing it with them, those that have supported me for such a long time. I’m overwhelmed.”
Playing on Centre Court, the pair never had a break point in the match and missed a set point in the first set after coming from 6-1 down in the tiebreaker to lead 7-6. In the second set, they saved a match point at 6-5 and two more in the tiebreaker, where they trailed 5-2 before beginning their turnaround.
In the third-set tiebreaker, the 15th-seeded Thompson and Purcell also led 7-6 but couldn’t close it out.
“Obviously couldn’t have been a closer match,” Patten said. “I can’t really remember what happened to be honest.”
Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson being interviewed following their loss
(Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
The Aussies never faced a break point, hit 19 more winners and won 10 more points, in the near three-hour epic.
“Plain and simple, it just sucks,” a disappointed Thompson said in true Australian style.
“You know, we had match points, one point away from being a Wimbledon doubles champion.”
Purcell was bit more forgiving: “They did it the hard way, they deserved it,” he said.
“I’m proud we made the final. It’s the best run that Jordan and I have had at a Slam, we can’t be mad.”
