James Duckworth has denied Chris O’Connell to take the spoils in one other all-Australian first-round match-up on the US Open in New York.
However the veteran’s fiancee Madison has laid declare to the prize cash, sending a fast post-match text message to remind Duckworth of their looming marriage ceremony.
The victory might not have captured the eye and fanfare of Nick Kyrgios’s centre-court victory over Thanasi Kokkinakis on Monday night time.
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However Duckworth’s 4-6 7-6 (7-0) 6-2 6-3 defeat of O’Connell on Tuesday was no much less important to the 30-year-old journeyman.
In addition to a second-round alternative towards British twentieth seed Dan Evans, Duckworth has assured himself the second largest pay day of his stop-start grand slam profession.
Duckworth will pocket a cheque for at the least $US121,000 ($A168,000) for reaching the second spherical at Flushing Meadows for less than the second time in seven makes an attempt.
He’s additionally set for an essential rankings enhance, provisionally anticipated to climb 12 spots to No.71 on this planet, properly again contained in the cut-off mark for direct entry to future grand slams.
These are massive rewards for a resilient campaigner who has endured 10 rounds of foot, elbow, shoulder and hip surgical procedure to maintain his profession going.
“Yeah, it’s a nice bonus,” Duckworth stated.
“My fiancee text me after the match and said ‘well done, you’ve paid for the wedding’.”
Duckworth isn’t getting hitched till the tip of subsequent 12 months and within the meantime will proceed investing in his tennis.
He has coach Wayne Arthurs to pay. Then there’s the medical payments.
“Because of my body I’ve been looking to get as much physio help as possible so it will go towards that,” Duckworth stated.
“And I suppose my fiancee will try and steal some and put it towards the wedding.”
An upset win over Evans, who’s ranked 60 locations increased at No.23 on this planet, would guarantee Duckworth leaves the Massive Apple with a minimal of $US188,000 ($A$275,000).
Nevertheless it’s the joys of the chase that satisfies Duckworth most.
“I play the game to win,” he stated.
“I love competing and I really enjoy the aspect of just trying to get better, trying to improve my game.
“Wayne and I are constantly going back and forth about different things. The little one-percenters. That gives me a lot of enjoyment as well. Just improving.”
Aussie wildcard condemns Nadal to profession first at US Open
Rinky Hijikata threatened the grand slam upset of the 12 months earlier than falling to Rafael Nadal in a daring and dazzling US Open debut.
Hijikata lit up Arthur Ashe Stadium with some electrifying tennis, snatching the opening set, earlier than Nadal pulled out all stops in a pulsating 4-6 6-2 6-3 6-3 comeback victory on Tuesday night time.
Now unbeaten in 19 grand slam outings in 2022, Nadal entered the match beneath a health cloud after withdrawing from his scheduled Wimbledon semi-final with Nick Kyrgios with an stomach tear.
The reigning Australian and French Open champion had misplaced his solely match since, to Borna Coric in Cincinnati in three units two weeks in the past.
The 22-times grand slam champion once more regarded susceptible after Hijikata – ranked No.198 on this planet and solely within the draw after being handed a wildcard beneath Tennis Australia’s reciprocal association with the USTA – captured the primary set with some impressed first-strike, attacking tennis.
New Yorkers are well-known for loving an underdog and the 22-year-old duly whipped the centre-court crowd right into a frenzy when he clubbed an airborne forehand winner down the road to carry up set level, then fist-pumped and waved his arms in triumph after sealing the set with an enormous ace down the center.
It was the primary time in Nadal’s record-breaking profession that he’d misplaced his opening set at a US Open.
Alas, Australia’s grand slam rookie shortly realized to not prematurely have a good time towards arguably probably the most ferocious competitor males’s tennis has ever seen.
“Pretty proud of the way I competed out there,” Hijikata stated.
“I just wanted to represent myself and everyone back home. I gave it all I could. It wasn’t enough but I left it all out there.
“I wanted to win that match and I think I proved that I can push players like that and it’s just about beng able to maintain that level.
“It’s not easy. These guys make it look easy but it’s three hours of gruelling tennis.
“So I’ve got to maintain it for a longer period of time and that’s what I’ll go back and work on.”
After hitting again swiftly to take the second and third units, Nadal resisted a fierce fightback from Hijikata within the fourth to ultimately clinch victory, to nice aid, on his fifth match level after three hours and eight minutes of enthralling motion.
The 2 combatants acquired a standing ovation after the traditional encounter, with Nadal conceding he was thrilled to have survived the scare in his first match on the US Open since profitable the title for a fourth time in 2019.
Had Nadal misplaced, it will have been, statistically, the worst defeat of the mighty Spaniard’s 1277-match profession.
“Three hours, eight minutes against a tough opponent – it’s a moment to survive, stay positive and just accept it’s how it’s happening,” Nadal stated.
“I stay positive, stay with the right attitude tomorrow, one more day to practice tomorrow and then it’s another opportunity.
“I’m just enjoying the fact I’m here and here to try my best every day.”
– with 7NEWS
