NEW YORK — Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson won the US Open men’s doubles championship Saturday, bouncing back from heartbreak at Wimbledon to capture their first Grand Slam title together.
The No. 7-seeded Australians beat the 10th-seeded German team of Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz 6-4, 7-6 (4) to open play at Arthur Ashe Stadium, where the women’s singles final was to follow.
Purcell and Thompson held three match points in July at the All England Club, but Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten rallied to edge them 6-7 (7), 7-6 (8), 7-6 (11-9).
The Australians let a couple of match points get away Saturday when they held a 5-3 lead with Krawietz serving, and they soon found themselves tied when they couldn’t get the break and Purcell was broken at love when serving for the match.
But his serve was there when they needed it at the end, with Purcell closing out the match with an ace.
Thompson and Purcell became the first all-Australian team to win the US Open men’s doubles title since Hall of Famers Mark Woodforde and Todd Woodbridge in 1995 and 1996.