Match Report
Purcell/Thompson make quick begin at Nitto ATP Finals
Australians defeat Koolhof/Mektic in Mike Bryan Group
November 10, 2024
Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour
Jordan Thompson and Max Purcell in motion on Sunday on the Nitto ATP Finals.
By ATP Workers
Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson kick-started the 2024 Nitto ATP Finals in type on Sunday afternoon in Turin.
The fifth-seeded Australian pair downed third seeds Wesley Koolhof and Nikola Mektic 7-6(1), 6-3 on their debut on the prestigious season finale. Purcell and Thompson took management of the encounter throughout a mid-match sizzling streak: They stormed to the first-set tie-break earlier than shifting 3-0 forward with a double break within the second set, a lead that in the end proved unassailable.
“It was nice. From the get-go, we had been on it, we had been able to play,” mentioned Thompson. “We’re comfortable to be right here on the [Nitto ATP Finals] so it was massively pleasing… It’s nice for our first time right here. Began with a win, life couldn’t be higher right here.”
Dream debut in Turin for the Aussies 🫂
US Open champions @jordanthommmo2 & @MaxPurcell98 decide up their first win within the Mike Bryan Group!#NittoATPFinals pic.twitter.com/kxhea65rmE
— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 10, 2024
After seizing a high-quality first set within the tie-break, Purcell and Thompson delivered an aesthetic serving show within the second to finish their victory. The five-time ATP Tour champion group dropped simply 4 factors on serve within the second set, in response to Infosys ATP Stats, liberating them as much as play aggressively of their return video games.
“[The serve] will likely be actually key this week,” mentioned Purcell. “I really feel just like the courts aren’t taking part in that quick… We stored hitting our spots and getting by way of our service video games fairly fast, which signifies that the strain on our opponents goes to be loads. We didn’t break within the first, however we broke thrice within the second set. That simply reveals that we put that strain on and bought our possibilities.”
After enhancing to 2-0 of their Lexus ATP Head2Head sequence towards the 2020 Nitto ATP Finals champions Koolhof and Mektic, Purcell and Thompson moved to 1-0 in Mike Bryan Group. The opposite groups they’ll face in group play are Marcel Granollers/Horacio Zeballos and Harri Heliovaara/Henry Patten.
“I believe we mentioned in March that we wished to return to Turin,” mentioned Purcell, when requested about his first time competing on the NItto ATP Finals. “That was our purpose, and to complete the yr within the high 10 [of the PIF ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings], however the job’s not accomplished and we’ve 4 extra matches hopefully.”
