Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson have ensured there will still be Australian interest at the business end of the ATP Finals following the singles exit of Alex de Minaur as they roared into the semis of the doubles in Turin.
The pair, who've already won the US Open and reached the Wimbledon final together this year, became the first Australian duo since the 'Woodies' - Mark Woodforde and Todd Woodbridge - to make the last-four at the season-ending men's championship since 1999.
Sydney pals Purcell and Thompson, who have enjoyed a terrific season in both singles and doubles, had to fend off four set points in the opening-stanza tiebreak against Spain's Marcel Granollers and Argentina's Horacio Zeballos on Thursday at the Inalpi Arena before prevailing 16-14.
Once they'd come through that minefield though, grabbing the advantage on their own sixth set point, they relaxed, raced into a 3-0 lead in the second over the No.2 seeds and went on to record a 7-6 (16-14) 6-3 win in 97 minutes.
The fifth seeds, who had needed to win just one set to proceed from the 'Mike Bryan Group', ended up doing better than that with the victory ensuring they join fellow Finals debutants Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten, who beat them in the Wimbledon final and in the group stages in Turin, in the semis.
"We've both had incredible years, and when you're trying to toss up doubles and singles, it's so tough on the body," admitted Thompson after the pair had earned their 41st Tour-level victory together in 2024.
"We've just done our best. We've probably played over 50 matches together, so that tells you we're doing something right."
"(Granollers and Zeballos) are a top-two team in the world, and I felt we like started levels above that, to be honest," said Purcell.
On Saturday, the Australian pair will meet the winners of the 'Bob Bryan Group', which will be finalised on Friday, with Germans Tim Puetz and Kevin Krawietz currently looking the most likely opponents.
Australia's Olympic champion Matt Ebden and his 44-year-old playing partner Rohan Bopanna have no chance of making it from that group, having lost their opening two matches.
