Heliovaara and Patten launch Turin bid with vengeance
Under the bright lights of Inalpi Arena, Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten transformed a springtime setback into a sharp-edged opener at the Nitto ATP Finals, their serves unyielding as they eye year-end glory amid rising pressure.
In the humming atmosphere of Turin's Inalpi Arena on November 10, 2025, Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten stepped up with a point to prove. The second seeds dismantled Christian Harrison and Evan King 6-4, 6-4 in a crisp 64-minute display, evening the score from a stinging Roland Garros quarterfinal loss earlier that year. Their return to the Nitto ATP Finals for the second straight season carried the weight of a breakout campaign, now channeled into a title push on the swift indoor hard courts.
Revenge sharpens tactical edge
The ghosts of Paris clay still echoed as the Finn and the Brit took the court, but they quickly adapted to the faster surface, turning potential vulnerabilities into strengths. Where the Americans had dictated longer rallies at Roland Garros with deep crosscourt shots, Heliovaara and Patten shortened the points here, firing inside-out forehands to stretch opponents wide before following with down-the-line passes. They dropped just five of 45 service points, ATP Stats showed, building a fortress around their deliveries that forced Harrison and King into hurried errors.
Patten's net approaches added pressure, his volleys slicing low with underspin to pin the Americans back, while Heliovaara's flat serves kicked up awkwardly off the indoor deck. The crowd's energy swelled with each hold, the duo facing only one break point and erasing it with a booming ace that rippled through the arena. This tactical pivot not only leveled their ATP Head2Head series but infused the match with a quiet intensity, the partners feeding off each other's calm resolve.
“We didn’t do much wrong in our service games, we faced one break point in the whole match and came up with a great serve there,” Heliovaara said. “It was so fun to be on court… We were ourselves and enjoyed the moment. I’m just super happy to be here and playing well.”
Signed, sealed and delivered
Second seeds Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten shine in their Turin opener, defeating Harrison/King 6-4 6-4. #NittoATPFinals pic.twitter.com/KDao7SrX55— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 10, 2025
Winning streak fuels rankings chase
Riding a five-match winning streak from their Paris triumph, the pair arrived in Turin harboring slim hopes of securing the ATP Year-End No. 1 Doubles Team presented by PIF honors. They gained ground on British stars Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool, who stumbled in their opener against Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori, a result that tilted the mathematical chase in their favor. Patten marked the occasion with his 100th tour-level victory, a milestone that underscored the personal stakes woven into their professional surge.
The indoor conditions amplified their aggressive style, allowing one–two combinations of serve and return to disrupt the Americans' rhythm, with slices skidding low to elicit weak replies. The arena's partisan hum built as the sets progressed, the duo's joy evident in quick fist pumps after key points, blending mental poise with physical precision. Their composure hinted at a team primed for the late-season grind, where every hold carries the season's accumulated momentum.
“I never thought I would have one win on the Tour, so to have 100 is something incredibly special,” Patten reflected.
Group tests demand deeper resolve
Improving to 1-0 in the John McEnroe Group, Heliovaara and Patten now turn to sterner challenges, starting with Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski, whose poaching instincts will test serve-and-volley setups. Next comes Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic, a lefty-righty duo demanding precise adjustments to inside-in passes and crosscourt lobs. The Turin faithful, drawn to the underdogs' story, leaned into the opener's tension, their cheers echoing the partners' growing belief in a deeper run.
As the match lights dimmed, the pair shared a knowing glance, the psychological lift from this revenge win positioning them to navigate the group's tactical minefield. In a draw loaded with experience, their mix of grit, adaptability, and unforced enjoyment could propel them toward the semifinals, turning an outside shot at the crown into a tangible threat.
