TURIN — In a stunning upset that capped an improbable late-season run, British-Finnish duo Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten were crowned the 2024 ATP Finals champions on Sunday, defeating the top-seeded pairing of Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos in a dramatic final. The victory, however, was followed by a celebration so raucous that the new champions admitted they would likely be "in a gutter at 3am" and miss their scheduled flight back home the next day.
The unseeded team, who only began their partnership in April and secured their qualification for the prestigious season-ending tournament with a title run in Shanghai just weeks ago, triumphed 6-3, 7-6(4) in front of a packed Pala Alpitour. Their victory was built on relentless returning and impenetrable net play, neutralizing the experience and firepower of their favored opponents.
A Meteoric Rise to the Pinnacle
For Heliovaara, 35, and Patten, 28, the journey to the ATP Finals trophy was nothing short of a fairytale. At the start of the year, they were not even a team. Patten was ranked outside the top 70, while Heliovaara was contemplating retirement after a previous partnership dissolved. Their decision to join forces has now yielded the biggest title of both their careers, along with a shared prize money purse of $943,650.
"If you had told us in January that we'd be holding this trophy in Turin, I would have laughed you out of the room," Heliovaara confessed in the post-match press conference. "This is beyond our wildest dreams. We just clicked, and everything has fallen into place so quickly."
Their path to the final was a gauntlet of the world's best. They navigated the round-robin stage with crucial wins, including a victory over defending champions Joe Salisbury and Rajeev Ram, before defeating the second-seeded team of Ivan Dodig and Austin Krajicek in the semifinals. Their success can be attributed to several key factors:
- Relentless Returning: Both players consistently made returns, putting immense pressure on opponents' serves.
- Net Dominance: Patten’s 6'5" frame and Heliovaara’s sharp reflexes created an almost impenetrable wall at the net.
- Tactical Harmony: Their on-court communication and understanding of each other's movements were seamless.
The Championship Decider
The final itself was a masterclass in controlled aggression. Heliovaara and Patten broke the Granollers serve early in the first set and never looked back, serving solidly and capitalizing on every slight opportunity. The second set was a tighter affair, with both teams holding serve to force a tiebreak. In the breaker, it was the newcomers who held their nerve, with Patten sealing the championship on their first match point with a thunderous forehand return winner.
"I just saw the ball and swung," a dazed Patten said courtside. "I don't even really remember the point. To win this, with Harri, after everything... it's surreal. This is what you work for your entire life."
Plans for a Legendary Celebration
When asked about their immediate plans, the champions' professionalism gave way to unbridled joy and the promise of a legendary night out in Turin. The celebration, they hinted, would be of a scale befitting their monumental achievement.
"The flight home? I think that's a problem for tomorrow's Henry and Harri," Heliovaara quipped, drawing laughter from the room. "Tonight, we will be in a gutter at 3am, probably. I can guarantee we will miss that flight. This is a once-in-a-lifetime moment, and we intend to celebrate it properly."
His partner was in full agreement. "Absolutely. We've got the trophy, we've got the team, and we've got a city that loves tennis," Patten added. "The airline will have to manage without us for a day. I don't think we'll be in any state to travel."
A New Force in Doubles Tennis
This victory instantly transforms Heliovaara and Patten from Cinderella story contenders into a bona fide force on the ATP Tour. The win rockets them up the ATP Doubles Rankings, with Patten set to break into the world's top 10 for the first time and Heliovaara reaching a new career-high. More importantly, it sends a clear message that their partnership is one to be reckoned with heading into the 2025 season.
Their opponents were gracious in defeat. "They played unbelievable," said Marcel Granollers. "They didn't give us any chances. All the credit to them. They were the better team today and this whole week." Horacio Zeballos added, "Sometimes, you just have to tip your hat. They were incredible."
Conclusion: A Night to Remember
The story of the 2024 ATP Finals will be the story of Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten. From being last-minute qualifiers to lifting the trophy, their journey has captivated the tennis world. They have proven that chemistry, belief, and fearless tennis can overcome any ranking or pedigree.
And as the city of Turin sleeps, its new champions will undoubtedly be wide awake, toasting their incredible success in a manner befitting their underdog triumph. The gutter at 3am awaits, a small price to pay for a place in tennis history.