Yahoo Sports GB's Patten & Finn Heliovaara triumph in Melbourne
Britain's Henry Patten and Finland's Harri Heliovaara won the Australian Open men's doubles title to continue their remarkable start as a pairing at close to 02:00 local time in Melbourne.
Patten, 28, and Heliovaara, 35, teamed up just nine months ago but the Wimbledon champions celebrated their second Grand Slam triumph in the space of six months on Saturday.
After missing 10 set points in an epic 34-point first-set tie-break against Italians Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori, Patten and Heliovaara fought back to win 6-7 (16-18) 7-6 (7-5) 6-3 after more than three hours on court.
Addressing Heliovaara in his post-match interview on a near-empty Rod Laver Arena, Patten said: "Wow, what a journey we have been on.
"It's truly special to share the court with you. I wouldn't like to do it with anyone else. Let's keep going."
The Briton added: "I want to thank everyone that stayed out here and watched us play, you guys are a little bit crazy but I love you for it."
Patten sealed victory with an ace, moments after saving the second of two break points against his serve by the same means, and instantly dropped to the floor in celebration.
It ended an exhausting match, lasting three hours and four minutes, which was concluded in front of a small contingent of loyal supporters at 1:42am.
After the match, Vavassori thanked the tournament organisers but questioned the decision to hold the men's doubles final so late, after the women's singles final.
Addressing tournament director Craig Tiley, Vavassori said: "You are doing an amazing job. Hopefully, next year, you can change the time of the doubles finals. I don't think it's good for doubles to not have so many people watching.
"This is the best tournament in the world for me, thank you to all the people that make this tournament possible. In the next year, I wish that doubles will grow because it's a great sport, like singles."
While Patten is the third Briton, after Jamie Murray and Joe Salisbury, to win multiple men's doubles titles this century, Heliovaara is the first Finnish player to achieve that feat.
Only 12 months ago, Patten and Heliovaara both exited the Australian Open in the second round when playing with other partners.
Heliovaara initially declined a partnership with Patten but, since winning an ATP title in Marrakech in their first tournament together, they have not looked back.
They have rapidly asserted themselves as one of the leading men's doubles pairings, winning half the Slam tournaments they have entered together.
Heliovaara, who stopped playing tennis professionally between 2013 and 2017, said: "Doubles is a team sport, so the most important thing is to find yourself a good partner. I think I have succeeded in that pretty well.
"Not only on the tennis court but also off it, we are such good friends. I think that's what keeps us close together on tennis courts and brings us titles like this, so I'm super thankful."
