Here’s our snap report. More to follow and thanks for reading the live blog.
Thanasi Kokkinakis and Nick Kyrgios receive the trophy. Kokkinakis says: “Nick, I love you, brother.”
Kyrgios comes on. “You’ve matured, good to see. I am super happy, I don’t know how we are doing this. I know this big boy is going to be out tonight so ladies, let’s go. I have to stop now, I have crossed the line.”
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Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde, the Woodies, are there, of course, to present the awards to, first Purcell and Ebden. “Those guys are really really good,” says Ebden. Purcell, by the way, has a fine Aussie mullet, very much in the Henry Ramsay style.
Big, big day for Australia.
The fairytale is complete 🏆
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 29, 2022
🇦🇺 @TKokkinakis and @NickKyrgios defeat Matt Ebden and Max Purcell 7-5 6-4 to become the #AO2022 men's doubles champions.#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/eLAmS0l3Fq
The scenes are emotional, broad smiles, bear hugs and Kyrgios jogs to his partner and they are close to tears. They had just too much for their opponents. Wild scenes in the Melbourne Park outside crowd, too.
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Kokkinakis & Kyrgios beat Ebden & Purcell 7-5 6-4 to win the Australian Open men's doubles
So, Kyrgios will serve it out. 30-0 comes around fast. So does 40-0, and three championship point. Surely now. And yes, it’s done! Purcell returns and Kokkinakis smashes home the winner.
Kokkinakis & Kyrgios 7-5 5-4 Ebden & Purcell*
A hold, an eventful hold. It all starts with boos and a row round the umpire’s chair as Kokkinakis calls for a let after someone screams out as the serve is made and the point is played out.
The culprit is caught on TV and is seen laughing. Kyrgios wants the miscreant chucked out and he gets his wish as security move in. The whole stadium cheers as the shouter and his mates leave. Purcell double faults at 15-15. Then Kokkinakis volleys to leave him and his pal two points short. Kokkinakis overhits to go to 30-30, it was close though. Ebden forces 40-30 with a stop volley. Kokkinakis then forces deuce by crashing the ball at Purcell’s midriff. Kyrgios does his basketball stuff to try and volley home and makes a mess of it. Too flashy. Kokkinakis then saves game point with some speed from the back of the court. Kokkinakis then forces a winner, smashing it with real venom and it’s championship point all of a sudden. That’s saved by some Ebden serving. Then Kyrgios gets too excited again and misses his winner. Advantage, and one claimed when Kokkinakis is sent behind the umpire’s chair and cannot get the ball back.
*Kokkinakis & Kyrgios 7-5 5-3 Ebden & Purcell
Oof. An ace levels it at 15-15 on the Kokkinakis serve. Then to 30-15. But Ebden forces an error and 30-30, meaning this is a big point. He misses the first serve. But Kyrgios holds firm at the net, sending Purcell scrabbling and unable to get the ball back. Whoops, double fault, and the first of the entire match. But at deuce, Kokkinakis plays a lovely forehand to the back of the court to claim advantage. And then, slipping to the floor, he blasts the ball beyond a hapless Ebden. A huge hold. Kyrgios picks up his mate in celebration.
Kokkinakis & Kyrgios 7-5 4-3 Ebden & Purcell*
A point against the serve? Feels like it’s been a while, and Kokkinakis’s energy forces it. 0-15 and then 0-30 on the Ebden serve. Then Kyrgios bludgeons Ebden into conceding three break points. Kokkinakis claims them with more bludgeoning. The big break is made and the K Boys can scent victory here.
*Kokkinakis & Kyrgios 7-5 3-3 Ebden & Purcell
Kyrgios’s serve looks less secure than his fellow Aussies but nevertheless he serves out to love too.
Kokkinakis & Kyrgios 7-5 2-3 Ebden & Purcell*
Purcell’s serve continues to be strong. And a whipped second serve means another game served out to love. They should just go to the tie-break and have done with it.
*Kokkinakis & Kyrgios 7-5 2-2 Ebden & Purcell
Big winner down the line from Kokkinakis takes it to 15-0. His serve looks rock solid, as does his backing-up game. 40-0 soon dawns. As does a service game to love.
Kokkinakis & Kyrgios 7-5 1-2 Ebden & Purcell*
Better serving, better volleying and Ebden and Purcell’s defence is looking strong as they see out the game to love with a Purcell ace.
*Kokkinakis & Kyrgios 7-5 1-1 Ebden & Purcell
A roar from Purcell as he and his partner seize a 15-30 lead. Kokkinakis’s backhand volley levels it at 30-30. Kyrgios hammers the ball to take it to 40-30. Then moves across the court behind his serve to level.
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Kokkinakis & Kyrgios 7-5 0-1 Ebden & Purcell*
Purcell serves, and the second set begins with swordplay from all the players. Kokkinakis’s lob is superb but safety play from Ebden is equal to the task. Purcell volleys home for 40-0. They hold their serve in some comfort.
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Kokkinakis & Kyrgios win the first set 7-5
Two serves and it’s 30-0, with Ebden struggling to return. Then Purcell’s error sets up three set points. Kokkinakis, having served, then crashes into the Ebden backhand it’s 1 -0 lead.
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Kokkinakis & Kyrgios 6-5 Ebden & Purcell*
A first break, at last. 0-30 suggests an opening for the K twins. But Purcell stays solid at the net and it’s 15-30, then a huge return from Kokkinakis grabs two break points. The first is saved by cool volleying from Purcell, then Kokkinakis misses a big chance for a winner down the line. He reprieves himself with some crashing hits at Ebden’s backhand. But it goes back to deuce. And back once more after Kokkinakis wallops a forehand between the added lines at the width of the court. Then he claims another break point. And with a backhand return he finally claims it. He will serve for the set.
*Kokkinakis & Kyrgios 5-5 Ebden & Purcell
Kyrgios goes quickly at the task in hand and to 30-0 he races, and 40-15 with a tremendous lob. Still, a fine return from Purcell takes it to 40-30, and then deuce happens after Kyrgios cannot dig out a ball from the baseline and goes long. A huge serve claims advantage and then Ebden masters the net, making a series of volleys at the net to equalise. Then a big leave from Kyrgios sees the ball fly out and he serves it out, and Ebden misses a winner. Still no breaks claimed.
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Kokkinakis & Kyrgios 4-5 Ebden & Purcell*
The K twins go to 0-30 on their opponents’ serve but two good serves rescue matters and it’s back to 30-30. Angled serve takes it to 40-30 and leaves Kyrgios dumbfounded. Then some Kokkinakis power forces deuce, and some luck on the net cord wins another. But Purcell is strong at the net to claim an advantage before the hold is confirmed. All pressure on the Kyrgios serve.
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*Kokkinakis & Kyrgios 5-4 Ebden & Purcell
Kokkinakis’s ace takes it 30-15. Then some baseline hitting from him grabs game point. It’s taken up and the service holds continue.
Kokkinakis & Kyrgios 3-4 Ebden & Purcell*
Kokkinakis finishes it off after Kyrgios’s angled drop shot off his shoelaces. Then comes the tennis rabona under the legs, but Ebden and Purcell still serve out.
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*Kokkinakis & Kyrgios 3-3 Ebden & Purcell
These games speed by. Nick Kyrgios serving now, and maintaining his ferocity. A Purcell backhand volley takes it to 40-30 but Kokkinakis volleys home to those tiresome siuuu sounds.
Kokkinakis & Kyrgios 3-2 Ebden & Purcell*
Ebden crashing in the kick serves, and does so to love, finishing with an ace.
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*Kokkinakis & Kyrgios 2-2 Ebden & Purcell
Kokkinakis serves and begins with venom, this is quickfire stuff. Ebden and Purcell are canny operators and reading him well. Nevertheless, the job is completed and the game is going with serve. It’s loud in the stands, all the prawn sandwichers probably headed to the champagne tent.
Kokkinakis & Kyrgios 1-2 Ebden & Purcell*
Kokkinakis loops up a return of the Purcell serve before Edben crashes home a smash for 40-30. Purcell takes the game with some neat volleying.
*Kokkinakis & Kyrgios 1-1 Ebden & Purcell
222 km/h is the speed of the serve with which Kyrgios delivers the hold. Plenty of big air from him and his partner. Kyrgios is a decent basketball player, I am told.
Kokkinakis & Kyrgios 0-1 Ebden & Purcell*
Matt Ebden and Max Purcell look to be cruising to a routine opening hold but Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis find their shots to force deuce. In the end Ebden’s powerful serve down the middle proves decisive.
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Ever the showman, Nick Kyrgios was live streaming his entrance to the Rod Laver Arena on Instagram. Real action underway shortly...
Nick Kyrgios on Instagram Live as he walks out to the court for the men’s doubles final #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/dIxy1fNyd1
— Stuart Fraser (@stu_fraser) January 29, 2022
Preamble
Yet another opportunity for home glory for Australia, and they can’t lose this one. Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis are the fun boy pair while Matt Ebden and Max Purcell, the more cerebral pair, with Ebden a former mixed doubles champion of his home tournament, winning that in 2013. The Melbourne crowd, doubtless featuring a high number of the city’s Greek population, will no doubt be louder on the Special K side but this will be a fun event for the home fans after all the anxiety of watching Ash Barty in the women’s final. Now that Ash has got the job done, this can be a feast of liquid tennis, though perhaps Krygios can offer some devilment into the match.
