Wimbledon final: Aussie stars Max Purcell and Matthew Ebden take out doubles title

Matthew Ebden and Max Purcell have taken out the biggest doubles title in the game in a five-set epic. And a Russian-born star triumphed in the women’s.

Matthew Ebden of Australia and partner Max Purcell of Australia celebrate after winning match point. Picture: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

In what could be a great omen for Nick Kyrgios, Australia has just broken another long drought at Wimbledon.

Twelve months after Ash Barty became the first Australian woman in 42 years to win the women’s singles title, Matthew Ebden and Max Purcell became the first all-Aussie pairing in 22 years to win the men’s doubles.

The last Aussie pair to lift the trophy was the Woodies – Mark Woodforde and Todd Woodbridge – who claimed their sixth Wimbledon together in 2000.

Ebden and Purcell did it the hard way, beating the defending champions from Croatia – Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic – in a five-set thriller 7-6 6-7 4-6 6-4 7-6.

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Matthew Ebden and Max Purcell in raptures after winning match point. Picture: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

Courageously, Pavic played the entire final – which took more than four hours to complete – with a broken wrist.

The two Aussies have staged a series of remarkable comebacks to win the title – the likes of which Wimbledon has never seen.

They came from two sets down to win their opening round clash in a fifth set tie-breaker.

They also came from two sets down to win their second round encounter.

Their third round match was another five-setter while they saved five match points – and again came from two sets down – to win their semi-final.

They are the same pairing that lost to Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis at this year’s Australian Open but have now won the biggest doubles title in the game.

Kyrgios is due to face Novak Djokovic in the singles final on Sunday, bidding to become the first Aussie since Lleyton Hewitt in 2002.

Ebden and Purcell with their trophies. Picture: AFP

Earlier on Saturday, Russian-born Elena Rybakina succeeded Barty as the women’s singles champion.

Competing for her adopted country Kazakhstan, the 23-year-old Rybakina came from behind to beat Tunisia’s third seed Ons Jabeur 3-6 6-2 6-2.

“I can’t believe it, maybe in a day or two I will sit down and realise what I’ve done. I’m just super proud of myself,” Rybakina said.

“I’m not going to lie. I was too stressed out. I didn’t enjoy it as much as I should.”

Russian players are banned from competing at Wimbledon this year but Rybakina switched nationalities over four years ago, and swatted away a question about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“I can only say that I’m representing Kazakhstan. I didn’t choose where I was born.,” she said.

“People believed in me. Kazakhstan supported me so much. Even today I heard so much support. I saw the flags. So I don’t know how to answer these questions.”

Russian star wins Wimbledon final after comeback surge

— AFP

Russian-born Elena Rybakina powered back from a set down against Ons Jabeur to win the Wimbledon title on Saturday, denying the Tunisian world number two the chance to make African tennis history.

Jabeur raced out of the blocks but the 17th seed regrouped and dropped just four more games on the way to a 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 victory.

Russian and Belarusian players were banned from Wimbledon this year following the invasion of Ukraine but Moscow-born Rybakina switched her allegiance to Kazakhstan in 2018.

The 23-year-old, who had never previously progressed beyond the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam, said she had been “super nervous” before and during the match on a sunbaked Centre Court.

Elena Rybakina kisses the trophy. Picture: Getty Images

“I did not expect to be in the second week of a Grand Slam at Wimbledon,” she said. “To be a winner is just amazing. I don’t have the words to say how happy I am.” She added: “I want to congratulate Ons for a great match … You have an amazing game. We don’t have someone like this on tour and it is a joy to play against you. I ran so much, I don’t think I need to do fitness (work) anymore.” Jabeur, 27, started the match in style, using dropshots and passing shots to great effect as Rybakina’s power game failed to fire.

The Tunisian broke in the third game of the match when the Kazakh went long with a backhand.

Intense pressure

She followed that with a hold to love that included a delicious backhand pass angled past her opponent at the net.

Rybakina was under intense pressure on her own serve again as her game threatened to unravel but she dug deep to hold for 3-2.

But that was only a temporary stay of execution for the Kazakh, who produced an error-strewn service game to gift the set to Jabeur.

As the Tunisian celebrated with a fist-pump, Rybakina returned to her chair contemplating a costly 17 unforced errors.

Rybakina returns the ball to Ons Jabeur. Picture: AFP

But momentum shifted immediately at the start of the second set as Rybakina broke Jabeur before holding for a 2-0 lead.

She had now found her rhythm and Jabeur had to battle hard to stay in touch as the Kazakh repeatedly chased down dropshots and found the touch she needed to hit finely angled winners.

Rybakina, who stands 184 centimetres tall, then fended off three break points before breaking again to take a 4-1 lead when Jabeur went long with a forehand.

She levelled the match with an ace as Jabeur reflected on four missed breakpoint opportunities in the set.