Australian duo Jordan Thompson and Max Purcell suffered a heartbreaking defeat in the Wimbledon 2024 men’s doubles final.
London, England, July 14, 2024 | Leigh Rogers
Tennis is a game of extreme penalty shootouts, as Jordan Thompson and Max Purcell brutally reminded us of in the Wimbledon 2024 men’s doubles final.
The Australian pair earned three championship points to seal a straight-set victory, but Finland’s Harri Heliovaara and Britain’s Henry Patten fought back to win 6-7(7) 7-6(8) 7-6(9).
Purcell and Thompson won 10 more points, hit 19 more game-winning shots and faced no break points in the two-hour, 49-minute match on Centre Court. But it wasn’t enough to ultimately clinch a Grand Slam title.
“To put it simply, it’s really frustrating,” Thompson said. “You know, we had match point and we were just one point away from becoming Wimbledon doubles champions.”
Unseeded Heliovara and Patton were playing together in only their second major tournament, but put on an incredible fight that delighted the partisan British crowd.
They won championship point when they were down 5-6 in the second set, and then won two more points in the second set tiebreak.
Their efforts thwarted 26-year-old Purcell’s bid for a second Grand Slam doubles title and 30-year-old Thompson’s bid for a first.
“There couldn’t have been a more intense game,” Patton said at the trophy presentation ceremony, congratulating the Australian players on their efforts.
Purcell and Thompson have lost just five of the 30 games they’ve played together this year.
“They took it the hard way, and they deserved it,” Purcell said.
“I’m proud that we made it to the finals. It’s the best record Jordan and I have had at a Slam. I can’t be mad.”
The good news for Purcell and Thompson is that they’ll be on track to reach new career-high rankings next week.
Purcell is expected to move up from world No. 31 to debut in the top 20, while Thompson is expected to move up from world No. 32 to just outside the top 20.
Australian in action – Wimbledon
result
Men’s Doubles Final
Hari Heliovara (Finland)/Henry Patton (UK) d [15] Max Purcell (Australia)/Jordan Thompson (Australia) 6-7(7) 7-6(8) 7-6(9)
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