ALMATY/STARNBERG, October 17, 2025
Australian qualifier James Duckworth continued his impressive run at the Almaty Open, delivering a composed and clinical performance to upset third seed Flavio Cobolli 6-3, 6-2 and book his place in the semifinals.
For Duckworth, currently ranked World No. 138, this marks his third career semifinal and his second at this event – a place that clearly suits his game. It was also his biggest win over a Top 30 opponent this season, adding to an earlier victory against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in Los Cabos.
The 33-year-old broke an eight-match losing streak in ATP Tour quarterfinals and became just the second player to reach three semifinals in Almaty, after Adrian Mannarino.
A statement win
James Duckworth reaches his first ATP Tour SF since 2021 by taking out No. 3 seed Cobolli 6-3 6-2! #AlmatyOpen pic.twitter.com/Z2BvUJN1Ut
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) October 17, 2025
“It feels great. I really enjoy playing here,” Duckworth said after the match, which lasted one hour and 31 minutes. “I’ve been playing some good tennis this week. I really like the conditions. It’s a bit bouncy, there’s some altitude, and I enjoy playing indoors. It’s such a well-run tournament, and I really feel at home here.”
The Australian has built a special connection with Kazakhstan, where he’s enjoyed some of the best runs of his career. “ Yeah, honestly feels like a second home to me, it’s a great event,” he said.
Duckworth’s level throughout the week has been remarkably consistent, something he credits to staying true to his playing style. “I’ve been trying to stay aggressive and stick to my game style. I’ve worked really hard over the last few weeks — even though results hadn’t been going my way recently, I just kept putting in the effort. It’s nice to see it starting to pay off now.”
Duckworth’s return game proved to be a decisive factor in Friday’s match. “I think I returned really well today — that was probably the biggest key. I was able to put a lot of pressure on his serve with some quality returns, and that made a big difference and that’s something I was really pleased with.”
Looking ahead, Duckworth is keeping a grounded mindset as he prepares for a tough semifinal against Daniil Medvedev. who beat Fabian Marozsan 7-5, 6-2 in 66 minutes.
“Semifinal is always tough,” the 33-year-old Sydney native said. “I’ll focus on recovering well tonight, prepare with my team, and come out tomorrow ready to enjoy it and compete hard.”
