Harri Heliövaara reveals taped back and abdomen during winning interview

Harri Heliövaara lifted his shirt during the winning interview and showed support tape running across his abdomen and back. The Finnish player and his British partner, Henry Patten, had just reached the third round of the US Open.

Heliövaara and Patten defeated Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi and Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff 7-5, 6-2. They converted three of six break points, while Arnaldi and Struff created one break opportunity but failed to take it.

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Harri has to fight physically. We are simply happy and relieved to get through.

Heliövaara has ankylosing spondylitis and has been dealing with back problems. Patten said his partner had to fight physically and that they were relieved to advance.

The result guarantees the Finnish-British pair $80,000, or $40,000 each. They are competing in the United States as the world’s top-ranked doubles team for the first time, but Heliövaara said the ranking did not add pressure. Their third-round opponents will be the winners of Francisco Cabral and JJ Tracy against Nathaniel Lammons and Jackson Withrow.

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It is really nice to walk onto the court and listen to the introductions. It is also easy to find your own name in the draw. Those are probably the nicest things, and the rest happens on court.