Heliovaara/Patten mark Nitto ATP Finals debut with commanding win

Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten could not have asked for a better way to kick-start their debut run at the Nitto ATP Finals.

The seventh seeds produced a steely performance Sunday to defeat 2023 finalists Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos 7-6(2), 6-4 and open their account in Turin. Heliovaara and Patten carried their momentum from a dominant first-set tie-break to move ahead early in the second. They commanded on serve throughout the encounter, during which they saved each of the two break points they faced, according to Infosys ATP Stats.

"[We're] very, very pleased, we really showed we are here and one of the top eight teams," said Heliovaara. "We played a great match. We didn't lose our serve once and we stayed offensive when it mattered. We followed our game plan so well and I think we deserved the win."

The deadly duo ⚡️⚡️

First W on the board for reigning Wimbledon champs, Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten!#NittoATPFinals pic.twitter.com/2wVYqFBOUp

Heliovaara and Patten's exquisite touch was on full display in the tie-break, and the pair did not look back. In the third game of the second set, they each found a pinpoint return to clinch the opening break of the match, one that proved to be decisive. 

"It's quite a quick court, so it's difficult to break," Patten added. "You don't want to give your opponents any opportunities to do that. We're both extremely pleased. We fended off some break points at times and served it out well in the end."

The British-Finnish duo is bidding to become the first team to capture the Wimbledon and Nitto ATP Finals trophy in the same season since Mike Bryan and Jack Sock in 2018.

After defeating Granollers and Zeballos, the No. 2 team in the PIF ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings, Heliovaara and Patten lie second in the Mike Bryan Group. Earlier, Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson edged 2020 Nitto ATP Finals champions Wesley Koolhof and Nikola Mektic 7-6(1), 6-3 to move top.

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