14 October 2024 | Tennis Australia

From match point down in his opening round against Yasutaka Uchiyama, Duckworth rode his narrow escape all the way to the title at the Hangzhou Challenger.

The 32-year-old’s 2-6 7-6(5) 6-4 win over Mackenzie McDonald in the final ensured a 15th career ATP Challenger title, his first since Playford, Australia last year.

Duckworth returned to the top 70 and became the fourth-ranked Australian behind Alex de Minaur, Alexei Popyrin and Jordan Thompson.

https://twitter.com/ATPChallenger/status/1845405137197482269

This week’s most outstanding performers also include…

Omar Jasika: Twenty-seven wins on the trot. That’s the unbeaten streak the 27-year-old has built after he claimed his fifth straight trophy following his Cairns M25 title defence. It marks Jasika’s seventh title this year and his 15th at any level in his career.

Destanee Aiava: Following a near three-hour battle with compatriot Maddison Inglis, the 24-year-old claimed her ninth ITF title at the Cairns W35 event. A successful title defence handed Aiava her first singles trophy of the season and in a busy event she was also a finalist in the women’s doubles. Aiava and Alexandra Bozovic lost to Petra Hule and Alana Parnaby.

> READ MORE: Exciting conclusion to week 2 of Cairns Pro Tour

Bernard Tomic: The former world No.17 reached his biggest final in six years at the ATP Challenger event in Fairfield, in the US, where he fell short of his fourth career title at that level following a defeat to top seed Learner Tien. It was the 31-year-old’s biggest final since his 2018 ATP title in Chengdu and was his 45th match win at all levels this year, his most since 2008.

Tristan Schoolkate: The 23-year-old reached the semifinals of the Fairfield Challenger where he succumbed to countryman Tomic in straight sets. It was Schoolkate’s first semifinal since his maiden Challenger title in Guangzhou in May and his third this season.

Rinky Hijikata: Seeded second, Hijikata reached the quarterfinals at the Hangzhou Challenger where American Mackenzie McDonald ended his campaign. It followed the 23-year-old quarterfinal run at the Hangzhou ATP 250 event three weeks ago.

Adam Walton: The 25-year-old advanced to the Hangzhou Challenger quarterfinals where eventual champion James Duckworth downed him in straight sets. It marked Walton’s 10th Challenger quarterfinal of a career-best season, which has included his top 100 debut.

Marc Polmans: The 27-year-old made his first final since the Sydney Challenger last November at the Cairns M25 event. In search of his first title since his Canberra M25 victory in March 2023, Polmans fell to Jasika in the decider.

Matthew Dellavedova: A first title for 2024 at the M15 event in Pontevedra, Spain marks the 24-year-old’s fourth ITF trophy in two years. All of Dellavedova’s titles have come at M15 level on hard courts.

> READ MORE: Gibson completes Pro Tour three-peat

Maddison Inglis: The 26-year-old reached the Cairns W35 final, her second final from her past four events. The West Australian was bidding for her third title of the season following early wins at the W100 Tokyo and W35 Mildura events, and she departed with a 14-4 record from four ITF events on home soil since the US Open.

Jake Delaney and Jesse Delaney: The Sydney brothers reached their fifth ITF final together in under three months at the Cairns M25 event where they came up short against Tibo Colson and Thijemn Loof. The 27-year-old Jake and 25-year-old Jesse were aiming to maintain an unbeaten finals record since August, having earlier triumphed together at the Darwin 2, and Nakhon Si Thammarat 1 and 2, Thailand, events. Jake also won the M25 Darwin 1 event with Joshua Charlton.

Thomas Fancutt: The 29-year-old reached the Challenger final in Hangzhou alongside Japan’s Yuta Shimizu prevailed. The result marked Fancutt’s sixth doubles final of the year, five of which have come at ATP Challenger level.

Alana Parnaby and Petra Hule: The top-seeded duo claimed titles in back-to-back weeks after scooping both W35 Cairns events. Parnaby and Hule denied compatriots Aiava and Bozovic in a match tiebreak for the silverware in their eighth straight win.

Matthew Romios: In pursuit of his sixth Challenger title in doubles this season, Romios reached the Hangzhou semifinals where he and Colombian Cristian Rodriguez fell to eventual finalists Fancutt and Shimizu. It was the 25-year-old’s first doubles semifinal since his Cordenons Challenger title in August.

Ava-Monet Sycamore: The 17-year-old from New South Wales secured her maiden ITF junior singles trophy after she beat countrywoman Georgia Campbell in the final of the J60 event in Lautoka, Fiji.

Jeffrey Strydom: The 15-year-old from South Australian collected his first ITF junior singles title at the J60 event in Lautoka, Fiji. Strydom defeated China’s Zihan Gao for the trophy.

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