James Duckworth is close to a top 100 return after a successful week at the Almaty ATP 250 event in Kazakhstan.
The Aussie handed world No.22 Flavio Cobolli a straight-sets defeat in the quarterfinals – his second upset of a seeded player after Gabriel Diallo – before eventual title winner Daniil Medvedev beat him 6-7(8) 6-3 6-2.
It was Duckworth’s first ATP singles semifinal since September 2021, when he was a finalist in the same event.
“I feel really at home here,” said Duckworth after knocking off the emerging Italian, Cobolli.
The 33-year-old’s world ranking has climbed 30 points to No.108 as he joined fellow Aussies Rinky Hijikata (No.106) and Christopher O’Connell (No.105) in the push for a top 100 return.
At the Ningbo Open in China, Ajla Tomljanovic defeated world No.12 Clara Tauson and Zaynep Sonmez before he fell to eventual champion Elena Rybakina 6-2 6-0 in the quarterfinals.
Meanwhile, Australia’s Storm Hunter continued her doubles success alongside American Desirae Krawczyk. The pair reached the Osaka final before France’s Kristina Mladenovic and American Taylor Townsend prevailed 6-4 2-6 10-5.
This week’s most outstanding performers include:
Emerson Jones: It was a great week at the ITF W100 tournament in Macon, USA, for the No.1 Australian junior, who won three straight singles matches en route to the semifinals.
Ellen Perez: The 30-year-old teamed up with Ukraine’s Lyudmyla Kichenok to reach the doubles quarterfinals in Ningbo, China. The pair lost to China’s Tang Qianhu and Norway’s Ulrikke Eikeri in three sets.
Matthew Romios: The 26-year-old put up a solid showing with American partner Ryan Seggerman, reaching the semifinals of the Almaty Open, before they lost to third-seeded German pair Jakob Schnaitter and Mark Wallner in straight sets.
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