Duckworth breaks through after rain delays in Brisbane

Darren Walton | January 2, 2024

Australian James Duckworth has overcome a frustrating rain delay to continue his fine run from qualifying to reach the second round of the weather-marred Brisbane International.

Duckworth upset higher-ranked American JJ Wolf 6-3 6-4 in a match initially scheduled for Monday morning but which didn’t start until Tuesday afternoon.

The wild storms that hit south-east Queensland over the Christmas period have caused chaos for tournament organisers who face a backlog of matches to get through this week.

Duckworth did his best to help, taking just 63 minutes to see off the 53rd-ranked Wolf with a clean and efficient display featuring no service breaks, seven aces and 81 per cent of first-serve points won.

The world No.116’s reward is an enticing opportunity to reach the quarter-finals after unfancied German Yannick Hanfmann ousted Duckworth’s slated last-16 opponent, American fifth seed Sebastian Korda, 7-5 6-4. 

Countryman Jason Kubler earned an even bigger prize after Russia’s 2021 Australian Open semi-finalist Aslan Karatsev, the tournament’s eighth seed, retired two sets into their deadlocked first-round contest.

Karatsev had just taken the second set in a tiebreaker before quitting with injury, leaving Kubler to take on returning 22-times grand slam champion Rafael Nadal on Thursday for a quarter-final spot. 

In his first outing in almost a year, Nadal dazzled fans with a 7-5 6-1 victory over four-times major finalist and 2020 US Open champion Dominic Thiem.

Jordan Thompson added to a banner day for the home hopes with victory in an all-Australian affair.

Jordan Thompson outclassed Aleksandar Vukic 6-3 6-2 to book a second-round date with either French fourth seed Ugo Humbert or American qualifier Alex Michelsen, who play on Friday.