Heliovaara and Patten seize semi-final berth in review-fueled drama

Under the glare of Turin’s Pala Alpitour on November 14, 2025, Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten confronted a season-defining pressure cooker against Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic. The second seeds, burdened by a semifinal loss to the same pair in last year’s event, transformed that weight into a 7-6(5), 6-2 triumph over 85 minutes. Finishing 2-1 in the John McEnroe Group, they earned a return to the last four for the second straight year, their poise amid controversy underscoring a partnership forged through a year of tactical evolution on varied surfaces.

Video rulings ignite first-set surge

Tension simmered at 4-4 in the opener’s tie-break when Pavic unleashed a deep return that linesmen deemed long. Patten’s reflexive racquet extension sparked Arevalo’s challenge, suspecting a touch before the ball landed out, but chair umpire Fergus Murphy’s five-minute video review cleared any hindrance. The British-Finnish duo harnessed the momentum, with Heliovaara’s crosscourt volley claiming the next point and setting up their set-clinching 1–2 pattern—flat serves drawing weak returns for Patten’s inside-out forehands.

This ruling not only preserved their serve but shifted the indoor hardcourt’s swift tempo in their favor, where low bounces rewarded precise net approaches over prolonged rallies. The crowd’s hush gave way to murmurs of approval as the pair steadied, their adjustments neutralizing Pavic‘s poaching instincts with down-the-line passes that exploited gaps in the Salvadoran-Croatian setup.

Next stop Semi-finals!

Heliovaara/Patten are through to the final 4 after an impressive victory over Arevalo/Pavic 7-6(5) 6-2. #NittoATPFinals pic.twitter.com/iGqA8svIMw

— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 14, 2025

Hindrance call breaks second-set deadlock

Early in the second set at 1-1 and 15/15, Arevalo‘s premature celebration on a volley prompted another video scrutiny from Murphy, who ruled it a hindrance and awarded the point. Three points later, Heliovaara and Patten converted the break, Patten’s underspin lob disrupting Pavic’s rhythm while Heliovaara’s slice second serve pinned opponents deep. Their net dominance dismantled the lefty-righty duo’s crosscourt angles, turning the fast surface into a trap for aggressive returns that now faltered against quick transitions.

The year-long buildup—grinding through clay swings and grass tweaks—peaked here, as the pair’s mental resilience, honed in majors and Masters, prevented doubt from cracking their foundation. Even at 2-2 in the ATP Head2Head, this victory felt like catharsis, their embraces at net echoing the release of lingering Turin scars amid the Pala Alpitour’s rising energy.

Italian semi-final pulses with anticipation

Now facing home favorites Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori in the semifinals, Heliovaara and Patten anticipate an electric atmosphere where fervent support could amplify the Italians’ relentless returns and poaching. Patten, drawing on their season’s growth in hardcourt movement, relishes the challenge. “I can’t wait to play in that atmosphere,” he said. “Whether the crowd is for or against you, to play on that court in front of those fans is electric. They’re playing unbelievable tennis and have saved their best until last.”

This clash will demand further adaptations—varying serve depths to counter Bolelli’s crafty slices and Vavassori’s groundstroke power—while the duo’s inside-in approaches open angles for winners. Arriving unburdened after the group’s survival test, they carry a psychological edge, ready to sync with the crowd’s roar and extend their Turin legacy into deeper contention.