Ebden and Purcell became the first All-Australian team to win the men’s doubles at the All England Club in 22 years, as the famed Woodies won their last title.
Ebden and Purcell became the first All-Australian team to win the men’s doubles at the All England Club in 22 years, as the famed Woodies won their last title.
Australia’s Matthew Ebden and Max Purcell prevented Croatian pair of Mate Pavic and Nikola Mektic from winning consecutive men’s doubles titles at Wimbledon with 7-6 (5) 6-7 (3) 4-6 6-4 7- . 6(10-2) win in the final on Saturday.
Ebden and Purcell became the first All-Australian team to win the men’s doubles at the All England Club in 22 years, as the famous Woodies – Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodford – won their final title.
With almost nothing to separate the pairs in two tight sets set by a tiebreak, the Croatian gained the upper hand in the opening game of the third with the first break of the serve in the match when Purcell double-faulted and he Took the set.
However, the Aussies, taking a 5-4 lead in the fourth, changed tactics and worked hard to fire a series of winners, capturing the set and forcing a decider.
The final marked the first time in Wimbledon doubles history that the match and championship were decided by a 10-point tiebreak and it was the Australians who claimed victory after a four-hour and 11-minute fight.