Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson have been the crowned the men’s doubles champions at US Open 2024.
The Aussie pair clinched their first Grand Slam title as a team with a hard-fought 6-4 7-6(4) victory against 10th-seeded Germans Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz in today’s final at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
This amplified the pressure on their more experienced opponents, 32-year-old Krawietz and 36-year-old Puetz. The co-ranked world No.20s, who were chasing their own first major title as a team, kept pushing, trying to work their way into the match.
They got their chance late in the second set, when Purcell and Thompson squandered two championship points while leading 6-4 5-3.
It clearly rattled the Aussies, who lost a heart-breaking Wimbledon final from a similar position a couple of months ago.
Serving for the title at 6-4 5-4, Purcell served up two doubles faults and was broken to love to gift the Germans some much-needed momentum.
“Obviously there’s more tension when winning the match means the title, not just another round,” Purcell said. “And being that we got so close the last one, we really wanted to get over the hump this time.”
The Aussies managed to settle though, closing out victory in a high-pressure second-set tiebreak.
“It got a little bit tense there at the end with the match points, I thought I can’t do it again, but we stuck with it and got there,” Thompson said.
Purcell sealed the win with an ace, before jumping into the arms of his elated partner.
From missing three championship points at Wimbledon to winning the title at the US Open!
Redemption for Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson 🏆 pic.twitter.com/ZdCYnkcWeX
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 7, 2024
The seventh-seeded Purcell and Thompson went on to eliminate three seeded teams, including the co-ranked world No.1s, Spain’s Marcel Granollers and Argentina’s Horacio Zeballos, in the quarterfinals.
This is 30-year-old Thompson’s first Grand Slam title, while it is a second for 26-year-old Purcell (who previously won the Wimbledon 2022 men’s doubles title with compatriot Matt Ebden).
“Grand Slam champion, it’s got a nice ring to it,” a proud Thompson told Stan Sport. “I couldn’t be happier.”
Their first Grand Slam doubles title as a team!
You've earned every bit of it, @MaxPurcell98 and @jordanthommmo2 🙌 pic.twitter.com/elHuFKlEJ2
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 7, 2024
With their efforts, Purcell and Thompson join an illustrious honour roll at the US Open.
They become only the 10th and 11th Australians to win a men’s doubles title at the tournament in the Open era. They are also the first Aussies to win a US Open men’s doubles title in 21 years and the first all-Australian champions in 28 years.
There’s further good news for Thompson and Purcell, who are currently ranked at career-highs of world No.13 and world No.18 respectively. They are projected to be rewarded with top-10 breakthroughs when the ATP rankings are updated next week.
Aussies in action – US Open
RESULTS Men’s doubles, final [7] Max Purcell (AUS)/Jordan Thompson (AUS) d [10] Kevin Krawietz (GER)/Tim Puetz (GER) 6-4 7-6(4)
Find your way to play: Visit play.tennis.com.au to get out on court and have some fun!
