After an outstanding season, Purcell & Thompson has prepared a delicious dessert in Turin.
Australia’s singles star and US Open doubles champion play with emotion at the Nitto ATP Finals.
November 10, 2024
Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour
US Open champions Jordan Thompson and Max Purcell are looking to cap off an outstanding year by winning the Nitto ATP Finals title.
Vivien Christie
Earlier this year, Jordan Thompson’s thoughts turned to tiramisu in Italy. More specifically, enjoying dessert with my Australian friend and fellow Sydney native Max Purcell at the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin.
It’s a goal happily achieved by her Australian teammates, who have won four titles this season, including their first Grand Slam at the US Open.
“We still need some tiramisu,” joked Purcell, from Turin, where the Australian duo are fifth seeds. “But yes, we are proud of our efforts this year. We came out stronger in the bigger events and we still have one more event to finish this year.”
The success is especially sweet for the Australians, who suffered heartbreak in the Wimbledon final, dropping three points against Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten.
“We haven’t lost too many games. As you know, we are one point away from winning Wimbledon and have three chances. I came back to the Slam and won the U.S. Open,” Thompson said. “We feel like we’re getting better as each year goes by.”
Thompson had a stellar performance in doubles and also set a new record in singles. The Australian has moved up to a career-high ranking of 26th after lifting his first trophy with Los Cabos. The 30-year-old noted how success in each field supports the others.
“I had a really good year on the court, playing a lot of matches in singles and doubles and hitting career highs. [ranking] I think in both cases, one is helping the other,” Thompson explained.
“When I score in doubles, I feel like my volleying in singles gets better. And when I come back to doubles, you know I have to get back on target. So it helps singles come back. Because I feel like there’s an ocean I can hit it with. It’s just a comprehensive exercise for both.”
Purcell also prioritized singles and doubles, making the Australian duo the only pair to compete in both disciplines of the sport at the ATP Finals.
“I mean this can only give us an advantage… I think it’s definitely important to have options,” the 26-year-old said. “In this format, anyone can beat everyone. But the fact that we have more tools than many teams only helps us.
Purcell and Thompson got their campaign off to a flying start on Sunday with a 7-6(1), 6-3 win over Wesley Koolhof and Nikola Mektic in their first match of the prestigious year-end event. Purcell and Thompson, who are part of Mike Bryan’s group, will also face Marcel Granollers, Horacio Zeballos, Heliovaara and Patten in the round robin stage.
Purcell is competing in only his second tournament since early September after undergoing surgery on both ankles after representing Australia at the Davis Cup round robin stage in Valencia. “I definitely feel better than before. [the] We still won at the US Open. So I think we can only do better than that,” he said.
The opportunity to add to his record with great teammates in Thompson provides another boost.
“Winning with Jordan is the best feeling,” Purcell said. “I think about teaming up with other people and winning big tournaments.” “I don’t think it will feel the same. “I think it’s important who you play with and what kind of relationship you have.”
Thompson and Purcell, who are aiming for their last big title in 2024, have already committed to joining the doubles team again next year. “We have no plans to change,” Thompson said. “I mean, we’re not going to fix what’s not broken.”
