Henry Patten completed a remarkable Wimbledon run by becoming the first British winner of the 2024 Championships with men’s doubles success alongside Finnish partner Harri Heliovaara. Patten and Heliovaara had only teamed up in April, but dumped out a succession of seeds on the way to a maiden grand slam final together. Up against Australian pair Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson, Patten and Heliovaara saved three championship points in the second set before they sealed a superb 6-7 (7) 7-6 (8) 7-6 (11/9) victory in front of a jubilant Centre Court crowd.
Back from the brink 🤯🫨 Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten save three Championship points to defeat Jordan Thompson and Max Purcell 6-7(7), 7-6(8), 7-6(10-9) and win the Gentlemen's Doubles title 🏆 #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/nVvpllEQq9 — Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 13, 2024 It made Colchester-born Patten only the third British player to win the men’s doubles Wimbledon title in the Open era after Neal Skupski and Jonathan Marray.
“Obviously couldn’t have been a closer match and I can’t really remember what happened to be honest,” Patten reflected. “For me the most special thing is to do it in front of so many people who have come over, my best friends, my family. Thank you all.
” Patten’s only previous playing appearance at Wimbledon had resulted in a first-round exit alongside Julian Cash two years ago, but he had lasted the whole fortnight in 2016 and 2017 when he worked for IBM totting up statistics.
