As recently as seven years ago, Briton Henry Patten was working a summer job at Wimbledon as a data logger for tournament statistical provider IBM, logging points from matches on the outside courts. He never made it to Centre Court, though, joking he was "never good enough" for the coveted assignment.
On Saturday, the former college tennis player was back for a different sort of summer job, one that took him to SW19's main stage: competing in the men's doubles final at the tournament, in which he and Finnish partner Harri Heliovaara were more than "good enough." In a thrilling final, the unseeded Heliovaara and Patten triumphed 6-7(7), 7-6(8), 7-6(9) over Aussies Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson to cap a magical run to the title that wouldn't be out of place in a Hollywood film.
The unseeded pair saved three championship points in the second set of their victory over the No. 15 seeds for their first Grand Slam title as a pair, and fifth title together at all levels in just the four months since they first teamed up.
“I don't have words for what I'm feeling right now. I think that's probably amplified, again, by the way we won that match,” Patten said post-match.
“It’s completely surreal. The most amazing thing about it is being there with family and friends. Sharing it with them, those that have supported me for such a long time now.”