The Finnish-British duo of Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten captured their maiden Nitto ATP Finals doubles crown on Sunday in Turin with a commanding performance, defeating the all-British pair of Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski 7-5, 6-3. In an impressive display of skill, the second seeds did not face a single break point throughout the entire final, showcasing a rock-solid serve and delivering a number of stunning passing shots to secure their victory in 80 minutes. This win was particularly satisfying as it avenged their loss to Salisbury and Skupski during the round-robin stage of the tournament just days earlier.

For Heliovaara, the victory was the culmination of a dream week, as he said, “It is hard to describe. The whole week I have looked at the list of winners, with huge winners and I thought, if there was ever going to be my name on that, I am going to be so proud. To be there next to Henry is unreal.” While their performance on court was all focus and precision, Heliovaara and Patten revealed a different side after the trophy ceremony, outlining plans for a celebration that was both spontaneous and long-awaited.

As reported by the Express, the duo opened up about their plans for a long-awaited and well-deserved celebration, with Henry Patten colorfully setting the scene by stating, “In the same gutter at three in the morning.” His partner, Harri Heliovaara, confirmed the spontaneous plans that would override any immediate travel arrangements, noting, “I think for the first time, me and Henry will be in the same city. There’s a flight home tonight, but I’m not going to make it, and that’s great. That’s a fact. Looking forward to it. It will be nice.”

With the duo usually splitting up after wins, Turin gives them the rare opportunity to finally celebrate together. Their journey to the title was built on relentless serving and clinical returning – a combo they utilized to the maximum in the final. Patten and Heliovaara smashed 8 aces to Salisbury and Skupski’s 2, while executing pinpoint returns on the first and second serves. Especially the second, as the British-Finnish pair had a second serve return percentage of 54%, while the Brits only managed 25%.

Yet, their post-match comments immediately stripped away that professional veneer to reveal the universal desire to connect and unwind after a monumental accomplishment. So, how was their journey to the finals?

Their path to ATP Finals glory

Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten’s journey to the 2025 ATP Finals doubles championship really showed off their consistency and top-notch performance as the season wrapped up. They made their way through the round-robin stage as the second seeds, finishing with a 2-1 record. They had quite the journey, starting with a win against Christian Harrison and Evan King (6-4, 6-4). Then, they faced a nail-biter against the British duo Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski, losing in three sets (7-6(7), 3-6, 7-10).

But they bounced back with a strong performance against Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic, winning decisively (7-6(5), 6-2) to make it to the semi-finals. In the knockout stages, they really showed what it takes to be champions. They took down the Italian pair Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3, to move on to the final. They went up against Salisbury and Skupski once more, and this time they really nailed it with a solid 7-5, 6-3 win to take home the title.

Their win in Turin was the highlight of an amazing partnership, showing that with resilience and teamwork, they can take on the world’s best. Heliovaara and Patten really showed us that the biggest wins often come after facing some tough challenges, starting from their early round-robin matches all the way to their final victory.