Wimbledon success could be just the start for Henry Patten and Harri Heliovaara
A whirlwind fortnight for Colchester-born Patten has changed his goals for the rest of 2024.
Henry Patten and Harri Heliovaara are hopeful their men’s doubles triumph at Wimbledon can be the start of a special partnership.
The unseeded duo stunned Australian pair Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson in a thriller on Centre Court, saving three championship points in the second set to clinch a remarkable 6-7 (7) 7-6 (8) 7-6 (11/9) victory.
Patten, who had not made it past the third round in his first six grand slam appearances, only teamed up with Heliovaara in April, but they have added the Wimbledon crown to four other titles secured during the past three months.
“Well, it certainly helps having the prize money,” Patten admitted, with £650,000 set to be split between them.
“It means me and Harri can get into some bigger events coming up. That’s like the serious tennis side.
“In terms of changing my life, we’ll see. Like I said, I think the most important thing for me is to be able to share it with my family.”
Heliovaara, 35, added: “We even talked to each other earlier that, ‘this is working, let’s stick together’, and I can go with him for the rest of my career. I wouldn’t complain.
“No, it’s something special. We’re so close to each other on the court. It’s something I don’t think I’ve ever experienced.”
Colchester-born Patten echoed the sentiments of Heliovaara, who quit tennis in 2013 and worked at Helsinki Airport before he returned and won the US Open mixed doubles last year.
It has also been a meteoric rise for Patten, who played college tennis in America but was ready to walk away from the sport before a postgraduate course at Durham University in 2019.
The 28-year-old turned professional a year later and after he decided to focus on doubles at the end of 2022, Patten has become only the third British player to win the men’s doubles in SW19 after Jonny Marray and Neal Skupski.
“I think we have similar values and that shows in how we play tennis and how we are off the court as well. I think that allows us to have a really close relationship on the court,” Patten said.
“For example, it helps us to dig out matches like (the final). It would have been easy to kind of roll over.
“They were, I would say, playing better than us for most of the match, but knowing we are there with each other and we are going to fight to the end, that’s it. Whether we win or lose, it’s OK.
“Yeah, it’s definitely pretty cool, pretty special.”
Patten’s coach Calvin Betton had set the British-Finnish team a target of being able to compete in Masters tournaments from August, but loftier ambitions are now on the horizon.
The ATP Finals in Turin in November are a realistic aim and yet the “dream team” could face a tricky scenario after the US Open next month.
Finland face Britain in a Davis Cup tie in Manchester and while Patten does not yet expect to be picked over Joe Salisbury and Skupski by captain Leon Smith, he would relish the chance to represent his country – even if it meant playing against Heliovaara.
Ipswich fan Patten said: “Yeah, it’s massively exciting. I think hopefully we’ll get a spot in Turin with that win. Potentially get a qualifying spot if you win a slam depending on a few things.
“I’ll be mega keen to represent my country. Obviously we have a lot of very strong doubles.
“When it comes to Davis Cup stuff, it’s quite political as well. I haven’t even thought about those conversations yet.
“Leon (Smith) will say, ‘well done’. If I hear more from him, great. If not, then that’s kind of the way it goes. We’ll see.”
Heliovaara concluded: “I don’t think anyone expected us to win the grand slam so soon. Maybe one day but it’s been a dream. A dream team, what can you say?”
