TAIPEI/STARNBERG, November 8, 2025
The stage is set for a thrilling finale at the 2025 Taiwan Sanzaizi Challenger. On Sunday, top seed James Duckworth of Australia will face second seed Yoshihito Nishioka of Japan in the singles championship match — a battle between two players who have both previously ranked inside the world’s Top 50 and are now seeking a return to the ATP main stage.
Both veterans have overcome injury setbacks in recent years and are determined to earn valuable ranking points in their bid to secure a place in the 2025 Australian Open main draw. Duckworth, 33, once reached a career-high of World No. 46 in January 2022, while 30-year-old Nishioka climbed as high as No. 24 in June 2023.
This will be the third career meeting between the two, with their head-to-head record tied at one win apiece (2014 and 2016). Both players acknowledged that Sunday’s final will be a tough battle.
“Tomorrow will definitely be a big match,” said Nishioka. “We’ll both feel the pressure. He’s powerful and serves really well, so that’s a big advantage for him. But I can control the pace and absorb his power — it’s going to be a duel of attack and defense.”
Duckworth agreed, saying, “Yoshi is a great player. He’s had some injuries this year that kept him out of the Top 100. It’s been a long time since we last played, and I’m excited to go one step further in this final.”
Nishioka Battles Through to the Final
In Saturday’s semi-final, Nishioka defeated fifth seed James McCabe of Australia 6-2, 5-7, 6-1 to book his place in the championship match. After dominating the first set, Nishioka briefly lost focus in the second but recovered strongly in the decider.
“I’m trying to earn 100 ranking points this week — that’s a big challenge, but it could get me straight into the Australian Open main draw,” said Nishioka. “I lost a bit of concentration in the second set but was happy to regain focus quickly in the third. That early break really gave me confidence.”
Nishioka, who suffered elbow and back injuries earlier this year, has been regaining momentum after reaching the Round of 32 at the Shanghai Masters and winning the Suzhou Challenger.
“I still believe in myself,” he added. “I know I belong at this level. Of course, I can lose matches, but I can also play my best tennis again. I really believe I have a great chance to win the title.”
Duckworth Serves His Way to the Final
Top seed James Duckworth advanced to the final with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Hong Kong’s No. 1 player Coleman Wong, the No. 4 seed. The Australian used his strong serve to dominate, never facing a break point in the second set and converting both of his own break opportunities.
“The last game was tough — I was down 0-30 — but I stayed focused and served well to close it out,” said Duckworth. Despite winning 92 per cent of points behind his first serve, his first-serve percentage was only 47 per cent, prompting him to head straight back to practice after the match.
“I really enjoy playing on fast indoor hard courts — it suits my game. I’m very excited to be in the final and looking forward to tomorrow’s match.”
After multiple injuries in recent seasons, Duckworth is motivated by his love for the sport.
“The most important thing is that I love tennis,” he said. “That passion keeps me going. If you want to reach your goals, you have to keep working and reset your mindset.”
