Purcell/Thompson clinch US Open crown

Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson atoned for their Wimbledon championship heartbreak in style on Saturday at the US Open, where they captured their first major title together.

The Australians squandered three championship points in the Wimbledon final in July but were not to be disappointed in New York, where they moved past Germans Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz 6-4, 7-6(4).

Purcell and Thompson recovered from squandering two championship points at 5-3 in the second set, eventually closing out in a nervy tie-break after one hour and 36 minutes to become the first Australian men to win the doubles crown since Todd Woodbridge won with Swede Jonas Bjorkman in 2003.

Earlier this year, they won titles in Dallas, Los Cabos and Houston and impressed at Flushing Meadows, where they dropped just one set en route to the title. They also fell agonisingly short in the Wimbledon final in July when they squandered three championships points in their defeat to Henry Patten and Harri Heliovaara, but did not let that defeat haunt them in New York, improving to 37-6 in 2024.

"Being a Grand Slam champion has a great ring to it," Thompson said. "Especially after the heartbreak at Wimbledon. It got a little bit tense with match points at the end. We stuck with it and we got there."

Purcell and Thompson, who saved two match points in their second-round win, have climbed five spots to third in the PIF ATP Live Doubles Rankings following their victory and in their first full season together are hoping to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals.

Purcell, 26, has won two major doubles titles, having triumphed at Wimbledon in 2022 with Matthew Ebden. Thompson, 30, was competing in his second Grand Slam final after losing in London this year.

Krawietz and Puetz are sixth in the PIF ATP Live Doubles Rankings. The Germans earned a dramatic semi-final win against Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic but were unable to produce more magic in their first major final together as a team.

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