James Duckworth: 'There were times when I thought I’d never play again'
The 26-year-old James Duckworth has been one of the most promising players born in 1992, making a nice progress through the rankings and achieving his career-best position in 2015 at the age of 23. The winner of 21 ATP matches has been struggling with injuries for the last three years, missing a few months in the first part of 2016 with an elbow injury before undergoing two right foot surgeries and one right shoulder surgery in 2017, playing just one match in the entire year and losing all of his ranking points. James just couldn't catch a break and he was forced to miss a part of 2018 as well after a right foot and right elbow surgeries but he made a promising return after winning Cury Challenger as a qualifier, ranked outside the top-400.
Now, Duckworth will have a chance to compete in his seventh Australian Open after securing a wild card following a hard-fought 6-3 5-7 7-5 7-6 triumph over Luke Saville in the final of the Australian Open Wild Card Play-off at Melbourne Park, winning this title for the second time after 2015. After the match, Duckworth expressed his feelings about the week behind him and the way he stayed competitive and motivated to fight for the wils card, thinking about not getting the second chance if he had failed to win this event (he would have to enter the qualifying draw if the organizers didn't offer one of the remaining wild cards):
“There were definitely times over the last few years when I thought maybe I’d never play tennis again, let alone the Australian Open,” said emotional Duckworth. “It was tough sitting on the sidelines and going through so much rehab and spending so much time on the operating table as well. So to be able to get back is just a dream come true. I’ve obviously been through a lot over the last couple of years and to be able to play my home Grand Slam again – which in my opinion is the best tournament in the world, the support you get here is incredible – is just an unbelievable feeling.
I thought today, probably until those last couple of games when I was pretty nervous, was probably the cleanest I’d hit the ball and the most comfortable and confident I’d felt on the court, which I was pleased about. I was really tight, as you could see. I think at 5-4, the first point of the game I hit a serve and then I pretty much fell over trying to hit a forehand. Luke also came up with some pretty good stuff on match point – especially the stretch volley, which was pretty incredible, I thought I hit a winner. But yeah, I was really happy with the way I could stay composed and play a decent tiebreaker. I think if I didn’t win today I don’t think I was going to get a wildcard (laughter). So I think this was the only way was playing (the main draw), unless I qualified.”
from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2UTdVtB
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