After winning their first Grand Slam title as a team, Matthew Ebden and Max Purcell are determined to build on their Wimbledon success.
London, Great Britain, 10 July 2022 | Leigh Rogers
Newly crowned Wimbledon champions Matthew Ebden and Max Purcell are still “speechless” after their title-winning run.
“It’s just an unbelievable feeling. I can’t believe it,” Ebden said.
“It’s further than a dream come true. I suppose it’s a goal or a plan or a belief come true. But, yeah, it feels amazing.”
The No.14 seeds become the first all-Australian team in 22 years to capture a Wimbledon gentlemen’s doubles title – and did so in dramatic fashion, winning a four-hour battle against defending champions Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic.
World No.31 Ebden and world No.34 Purcell eventually prevailed 7-6(5) 6-7(3) 4-6 6-4 7-6(2) in the tournament’s first-ever gentlemen’s doubles final decided in a match tiebreak.
“To be out there over four hours, 7-6 in the fifth set, finish a Wimbledon final with a match tiebreak. It was insane,” Ebden said.
“A lot of the crowd were loving it. They were telling us at the end when we were walking around they were entertained. What a fitting end for a Centre Court, Wimbledon final. (It’s) stuff you dream of.”
🇦🇺 MAX & MATT 🏆
The first all-Australian team to capture a #Wimbledon gentlemen’s doubles title in 22 years!#GoAussies pic.twitter.com/10ka65V78n
— TennisAustralia (@TennisAustralia) July 9, 2022
After Ebden sealed victory with an ace, both players fell to the ground in elation.
“My father once told me when he was watching television, you watch guys win Grand Slams, he’s like, ‘No, it’s disrespectful to fall on your back. Shake your opponent’s hands first’. That’s spoken by a guy who’s never won a Grand Slam,” Purcell said.
“Once you win a Grand Slam, you fall on your back. The grass feels great on your back. I just did that, kind of rolled over, looked at Matt, he was on the ground. I was like, ‘Yes, we have done it’.”
It caps a remarkable run for 34-year-old Ebden and 24-year-old Purcell. Five of their six matches extended to five sets, they defeated four seeded teams and spent more than 20 hours on court.
They saved eight match points in total – three in the opening round, then a further five in the semifinals. This makes them the first Wimbledon champions, in any event, to save match points in multiple matches.
“We…
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