Eighth seeds Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz came back from one set and a break down to beat Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson 2-6 6-3 11-9 at the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin.
Krawietz and Puetz saved a match point in the Match tie-break to become the first all-German doubles team to reach the championships match at the Nitto ATP Finals.
Krawietz and Puetz saved three break points to hold serve in the first game. Purcell and Thompson broke twice in the fifth and seventh games to win the first set 6-2. The Australian team went up 6-2 2-0 with a break in the first game of the second set. Krawietz and Puetz broke back in the fourth game to draw level to 2-2. Krawietz and Puetz earned the second break in the eighth game to take a 5-3 lead and served out on their second set point. Krawietz and Puetz fought back from 5-7 and 8-9 in the Match tie-break to win the Match tie-break 11-9 after 80 minutes. The Germans avenged their defeat to the Australian team in the US Open final.
Krawietz and Puetz have drawn level to 1-1 against Purcell and Thompson. “The first part of the match was a lesson and then we tried to apply what we learned from those two. They lowered their level a bit and we came up a bit. It was close and at the end it was quite strange. That is what happens in doubles with the scoring format”, said Puetz.
