Luke Saville and Max Purcell are two names you don’t see come up often in the single’s main draws of events throughout the year. However, the Australian duo have joined forces to make a very strong doubles pairing in 2020.
A run to the 2020 Australian Open final was a surprise to many but the pair showed that it was no fluke having a great run in other tournaments throughout the year, making the quarter finals or better on eight occasions.
The pair will end the 2020 season as the 10thbest doubles team in the world. Pretty incredible considering they were both ranked well outside the top 100 for doubles at the start of the year.
Purcell, 22, was a solid and consistent junior player, reaching the quarter finals at the Junior Australian Open in 2016. Although, he hasn’t been able to have the same success as other Aussies his age like, Alex De Minaur and Alexi Popyrin on the singles side of things.
Saville, 26, had great success as a junior winning multiple Junior Grand Slam titles. Two at Wimbledon and one at Melbourne Park.
However, a horrid run of injuries has not allowed Saville to continue that success on the pro tour. The South Australian has now been able to rejuvenate his career on the doubles court with Purcell.
The test for the pairing will be to back up their run to the final at the Australian Open this year. The 2021 edition will come with added pressure as they potentially will be seeded inside the top 10. The first all-Australian pair to be seeded inside the top 10 at the Australian Open since 2006.
Although the pressure, you can picture it, with the very good possibility of an all Australian crowd (although limited to potentially 25% capacity) cheering on the duo under the Melbourne sun, these two could go far. The Australians will create a buzz around the Showcourts throughout the tournament if they make a deep run yet again.
An ATP Tour Finals birth in Turin, will be more than achievable for the pair if they stick together for the 2021 season. And who knows, it could be the birth of the new Woodies, just Savcell doesn’t have the same ring.