James Duckworth went down in four sets at the US Open to Dan Evans, but is feeling increasingly confident in his physical conditioning and level of tennis.
New York, USA, 2 September 2022 | Matt Trollope
Despite a four-set loss to Dan Evans in the second round of the US Open on Thursday, James Duckworth could finally see glimpses of his best form returning.
The Australian, who peaked inside the top 50 late last year before a hip procedure – his ninth surgery – at the start of 2022 stalled his momentum, said he felt increasingly confident in his physical conditioning and level of tennis.
“I was really happy with how my body was. I’m feeling way better than I was even a month ago, so moving pretty well,” he said following his 6-3 6-2 4-6 6-4 loss to Evans.
“(My) tennis is slowly getting there. I feel like I’m getting better every week, nearly, which is positive. Still got a little bit to go, but there’s been some good stuff.
“I’m still just not quite as confident, and as sharp, execution just isn’t quite where it was at the end of last year. But not too far off.”
This was Duckworth’s seventh appearance at the US Open, but just his second time in the second round.
The last time was six years ago, in 2016, the same year Evans held match point against Stan Wawrinka in the third round yet eventually fell in five, before Wawrinka went on to win the whole tournament.
There was no doubting the Brit’s prowess on New York’s quick hard courts, and he entered this match carrying the confidence of his highest-ever Grand Slam seeding (No.20) and a recent trip to the Montreal Masters semifinals.
While he lacked the same all-out aggression displayed by Duckworth, he played a tidier match.
He landed more first serves, won more points behind them, got far more returns in play, created many more break-point chances, and committed significantly less unforced errors.
It was a match dynamic that served him well until late in the third set, at which point Duckworth suddenly earned his first break point of the match, and converted, against the tide.
Now serving for the set, Duckworth dutifully did so to send the match to a fourth, where he went ahead 3-1.
It looked as if the world No.83 could be headed for one of the biggest wins of his 12-year professional career; 23rd-ranked Evans would have been the fifth-highest ranked player Duckworth had ever defeated, behind a trio of top-20 wins he scored in a breakout…
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