Melbourne, VIC, 21 October 2019 | tennis.com.au

James Duckworth took another step closer to a top-100 return with a trip to the final of the Las Vegas Challenger.

Duckworth on Sunday battled for close to two-and-a-half hours before going down to Canada’s Vasek Pospisil 7-5 6-7(11) 6-3.

But the result — his fourth Challenger final of 2019, for two wins and two losses — has seen Duckworth rise five places to No.133, after beginning the year ranked No.234.

Off to a third! ➡

James Duckworth saves 5⃣ match points to take the second set 7-6(11).@JamesDuck21 | #LasVegasTennisOpen pic.twitter.com/cmZo7MbOzz

— Las Vegas Tennis Open (@vegastennisopen) October 20, 2019

Duckworth, who peaked at a career-high ranking of No.82 in April 2015, improved his win-loss record this season to 40-24.

Pospisil also accounted for Duckworth’s countryman Chris O’Connell, snapping the Sydneysider’s eight-match winning streak.

O’Connell, who has won 12 of his past 14 matches, rose 11 places to a career-high ranking of No.138 following his performance in Las Vegas.

At the ATP Challenger tournament in Ningbo, China, Andrew Harris and Marc Polmans won an all-Aussie doubles final over Alex Bolt and Matt Reid.

It was the first time Harris and Polmans have teamed up, and they dropped just one set en route to the title.

Fun week sharing the court with ya Marcy https://t.co/WDh7jFSm7F

— Andrew Harris (@AndyHarris1994) October 20, 2019