- Jordan Thompson and Max Purcell won the US Open
- The duo are the first Australians to achieve this since the Woodies in 1996.
- It is the first major trophy they have won together.
Jordan Thompson and Max Purcell capped Australia’s rousing US Open campaign with a redemptive win in the men’s doubles final.
Jordan Thompson and Max Purcell overcame German 10th seeds Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz 6-4 7-6 (7-4) on Saturday (Sunday AEST) to become the first all-Australian pairing to reign in New York since Mark Woodforde and Todd Woodbridge in 1996.
The set victory goes some way to making up for the crushing defeat in the Wimbledon final, where Thompson and Purcell failed to convert any of their three match points.
“Being a Grand Slam champion is a very special feeling, especially after what happened at Wimbledon,” Thompson said.
“It got a bit tense at the end, with match points, but we held on and got it done in the end.”
The Sydneysiders and great friends only got together last year, after Purcell split from compatriot and fellow 2022 Wimbledon winner Matt Ebden, but have already enjoyed huge success together.
In addition to reaching back-to-back Grand Slam finals, Thompson and Purcell have claimed ATP titles in Houston, Los Cabos and Dallas this year despite focusing primarily on singles.
And now Thompson is a big winner after enjoying a magical fortnight at Flushing Meadows.
Jordan Thompson and Max Purcell win the US Open doubles final
The duo beat German 10th seeds Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz 6-4 7-6 (7-4) on Sunday.
The 30-year-old will leave New York with a career ranking of No. 29 in the world after reaching the last 16 in singles and a monster cheque for US$700,000 (A$1.15 million) after lifting the doubles trophy.
And Purcell, now a two-time Grand Slam champion, will pocket US$515,000 (A$772,000) for his two weeks of singles and doubles performances in the Big Apple.
“It was a great game,” Thompson said. “Obviously there are going to be nerves at the end, but I feel like we were the better team. I don’t say it very often, but from the start I thought we were creating chances and we played a really good, clean game today.”
After double-faulting twice on serve to win the match but eventually clinching victory with an ace, Purcell said: “I’d like to say I’m not going to blow it twice. I felt like something good was coming. I’m glad we didn’t have to try to start from scratch in the third set. I felt like because of Wimbledon we would have been okay at the start of the third set.”
The dynamic duo’s decisive victory completes one of the best US Opens of this century.
The Sydneysiders and great friends off the court only paired up last year.
Australia made its largest singles contingent since 1981 by having three men into the fourth round for the first time in 38 years.
World No. 10 Alex de Minaur defied a painful hip injury to reach the quarter-finals after ending Thompson’s run, while Alexei Popyrin capped his memorable American hard-court season with a momentous third-round win over defending champion and 24-time major winner Novak Djokovic.
As well as joining the modern great Woodies on the honour roll, Thompson and Purcell also follow Australian legends John Newcombe and Tony Roche, Fred Stolle and Ken Rosewall, Roy Emerson and Neale Fraser, and Rosewall and Lew Hoad as US Open doubles champions.
His success also continues the surprising renaissance of doubles in Australia.
Thompson and Purcell are the fourth Australian team in the last three years to claim Grand Slam men’s doubles crowns, joining Rinky Hijikata and Jason Kubler (2023 Australian Open), Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis (2023 Australian Open) and Purcell and Ebden (2022 Wimbledon).
Purcell added: “I guess the camaraderie of the Australian players, we all stick together, Thommo and I especially. That’s a massive factor in why we won.”
