After standout season, Purcell Thompson ready for a tasty dessert in Turin
pEarlier this year, thoughts for a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/jordan-thompson/tc61/overview'Jordan Thompson/a turned to tiramisu in Italy. Or more specifically, enjoying that dessert with his Aussie mate and fellow Sydneysider a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/max-purcell/ph71/overview'Max Purcell/a at the a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/tournaments/nitto-atp-finals/605/overview'Nitto ATP Finals/a in Turin./p
pHaving combined to win four titles this season, including a first Grand Slam at the a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/tournaments/us-open/560/overview'US Open/a, itrsquo;s an objective the Australian teammates happily achieved./p
pldquo;Still need to have the tiramisu,rdquo; joked Purcell from Turin, where the Australian duo are the No.5 seeds. ldquo;But yeah, wersquo;re proud of our efforts this year ndash; we just went from strength to strength in the bigger events and therersquo;s one more event to finish out this year.rdquo;/p
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pSuccess is especially sweet for the Australians after they suffered the heartbreak of surrendering three match points against a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/harri-heliovaara/h808/overview'Harri Heliovaara/a and a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/henry-patten/p0g6/overview'Henry Patten/a in the a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/tournaments/wimbledon/540/overview'Wimbledon/a final./p
pldquo;We didnrsquo;t lose too many matches. You know, one point away from winning a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/tournaments/wimbledon/540/overview'Wimbledon/a, three chances there. Come back to the Slam and won the a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/tournaments/us-open/560/overview'US Open/a,rdquo; said Thompson. ldquo;We just feel like wersquo;re just getting better as we were getting better as the year went on.rdquo;/p
pThompsonrsquo;s standout year in doubles is accompanied by new highs in singles, with the Australian rising to a career-high No.26 ranking after lifting a first trophy at Los Cabos. The 30-year-old noted how success in each discipline supported the other./p
pldquo;Itrsquo;s a great year on court for me and I played so many matches, singles and doubles, career-high [ranking] in both, but I think onersquo;s helping the other,rdquo; Thompson explained./p
pldquo;When Irsquo;m at the net in doubles, I feel like my volleys are getting better in singles. And when Irsquo;m returning in doubles, you know Irsquo;ve got to return to a target. So it just helps the singles returns because I feel like Irsquo;ve got an ocean of space to hit it into hellip; itrsquo;s just practice all-around for both.rdquo;/p
pPurcell also prioritises singles and doubles, making the all-Aussie duo the only pair at the ATP Finals to compete in both disciplines of the sport./p
pldquo;I mean it can only give us an advantage hellip; I think having options is definitely key,rdquo; said the 26-year-old. ldquo;Everyone can beat everyone in this kind of format hellip; but the fact that wersquo;ve got more tools than a lot of the teams can only help us./p
pPurcell and Thompson began their campaign successfully Sunday with a 7-6(1), 6-3 win over a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/wesley-koolhof/kc41/overview'Wesley Koolhof/a and a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/nikola-mektic/mf09/overview'Nikola Mektic/a in the first match at the prestigious year-end event. Drawn in the a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/mike-bryan/b589/overview'Mike Bryan/a group, Purcell and Thompson will also face a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/marcel-granollers/g710/overview'Marcel Granollers/a and a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/horacio-zeballos/z184/overview'Horacio Zeballos/a, as well as Heliovaara and Patten, in the round-robin stage./p
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pPurcell is contesting only his second event since early September, having undergone surgery on both ankles after representing Australia at the Davis Cup round-robin stage in Valencia. ldquo;Irsquo;m feeling definitely better than I did at [the] a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/tournaments/us-open/560/overview'US Open/a and we still got the win there. So I feel we can only be better than that,rdquo; he shared./p
pThe opportunity to add to his record with a great mate in Thompson provides another boost./p
pldquo;Itrsquo;s the best feeling ever when I get to win with Jordan, I mean, I think about, you know, and teaming up with anyone else and winning big tournaments,rdquo; said Purcell. ldquo;I just donrsquo;t think it would feel the same. I think itrsquo;s about who you play with and the relationship you have.rdquo;/p
pAs they target one last big title for 2024, Thompson and Purcell are already committed to combining again in doubles next year. ldquo;Wersquo;ve got no plans to change,rdquo; said Thompson. ldquo;I mean, wersquo;re not going to, you know, fix whatrsquo;s not broken.rdquo;/p
pnbsp;/p
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