Duckworth wins lopsided Melbourne rematch
February 14th 2013 10:08
IT TOOK four hours and 59 games for NSW baseliner James Duckworth to outlast Queenslander Ben Mitchell at last month’s Australian Open.
The venue was the same and Duckworth again won the first two sets – this time the only two sets – when the good friends met again at the Melbourne Park International today.
But the big difference was it cost him just one game in a 6-0, 6-1 result that set up a quarter-final showdown with Italian Andrea Arnaboldi.
Duckworth’s two opponents this week have managed a combined five games against him.
Arnaboldi needed a final-set tiebreaker to eliminate Indian Sanam Singh 1-6, 6-2, 7-6 (4), a round after thrashing Australian teenager Luke Saville for the loss of just three games.
It wasn’t the only intriguing three-set encounter of the day.
South Australian Alex Bolt knocked out West Australian No. 2 seed Brydan Klein 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, while ACT’s Nick Kyrgios eliminated New Zealander Rubin Statham, the No. 7 seed, 6-7 (7), 6-2, 6-4.
Bolt and Kyrgios, a dual grand slam boys’ doubles champion, later combined to win their doubles semi-final and face Queensland’s Ryan Agar and Austrian Sebastian Bader in tomorrow’s decider.
Bolt will take on a familiar foe in his singles quarter-final: New South Welshman Matt Reid, who downed Victorian Jacob Grills 7-6 (7), 6-1.
Reid beat Bolt in the first round at Burnie and West Lakes the past two weeks and has won four of their five meetings dating back to 2011.
Kyrgios’ next opponent is another New Zealander, Michael Venus, who dispatched the junior world No. 1 7-6 (4), 6-3 in their only clash last year.
But Kyrgios is a much different player now than then, particularly with the confidence of winning last month’s Australian Open boys’ singles crown.
Venus overcame NSW teenager Jordan Thompson 6-3, 6-3, leaving Frenchman Stephane Robert to oust 15-year-old Victorian Omar Jasika 6-4, 6-4 and continue his ominous path through the draw.
The other quarter-finalist is resurgent NSW player Greg Jones, who earned a shot at Robert with a 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 victory over New Zealand’s Artem Sitak.
See the Melbourne Park International singles draw here
I am the Shepparton News' sports editor and hope to start a tennis website this year. Follow me on Twitter at @Marc_tennis and/or @marcmcgowan84.
The venue was the same and Duckworth again won the first two sets – this time the only two sets – when the good friends met again at the Melbourne Park International today.
But the big difference was it cost him just one game in a 6-0, 6-1 result that set up a quarter-final showdown with Italian Andrea Arnaboldi.
Duckworth’s two opponents this week have managed a combined five games against him.
Arnaboldi needed a final-set tiebreaker to eliminate Indian Sanam Singh 1-6, 6-2, 7-6 (4), a round after thrashing Australian teenager Luke Saville for the loss of just three games.
It wasn’t the only intriguing three-set encounter of the day.
South Australian Alex Bolt knocked out West Australian No. 2 seed Brydan Klein 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, while ACT’s Nick Kyrgios eliminated New Zealander Rubin Statham, the No. 7 seed, 6-7 (7), 6-2, 6-4.
Matt Reid will play Alex Bolt for the third time in as many weeks in the Melbourne Park International quarter-finals.
Bolt and Kyrgios, a dual grand slam boys’ doubles champion, later combined to win their doubles semi-final and face Queensland’s Ryan Agar and Austrian Sebastian Bader in tomorrow’s decider.
Bolt will take on a familiar foe in his singles quarter-final: New South Welshman Matt Reid, who downed Victorian Jacob Grills 7-6 (7), 6-1.
Reid beat Bolt in the first round at Burnie and West Lakes the past two weeks and has won four of their five meetings dating back to 2011.
Kyrgios’ next opponent is another New Zealander, Michael Venus, who dispatched the junior world No. 1 7-6 (4), 6-3 in their only clash last year.
But Kyrgios is a much different player now than then, particularly with the confidence of winning last month’s Australian Open boys’ singles crown.
Venus overcame NSW teenager Jordan Thompson 6-3, 6-3, leaving Frenchman Stephane Robert to oust 15-year-old Victorian Omar Jasika 6-4, 6-4 and continue his ominous path through the draw.
The other quarter-finalist is resurgent NSW player Greg Jones, who earned a shot at Robert with a 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 victory over New Zealand’s Artem Sitak.
See the Melbourne Park International singles draw here
I am the Shepparton News' sports editor and hope to start a tennis website this year. Follow me on Twitter at @Marc_tennis and/or @marcmcgowan84.
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