James Duckworth staged a remarkable comeback to capture the singles title at the Mexico City Open presented by Banco bxm, defeating Italy’s Stefano Napolitano 6-7, 7-6, 6-2 in a final that stretched across two days due to rain interruptions.

Nearly 23 hours after it first began, the clash resumed on Monday at noon with the score tied at 5-5 in the second set. Duckworth held his nerve to force a tie-break, leveling the match before carrying his momentum into the decider, where he took control to seal the title.

A title fight worthy of two days 👏🏆

James Duckworth survives Napolitano 6-7(7), 7-6(3), 6-2 to prevail in Mexico City! #ATPChallenger | @mxcityopen pic.twitter.com/JaaRHxpbtu

— ATP Challenger (@ATPChallenger) April 13, 2026

“The suspension of the match was difficult for both of us. Last night I had the chance to reset, especially the things I didn’t do well, so I came back today with a different mindset to execute points as well as possible,” Duckworth said.

“I was thinking about what I could do differently compared to yesterday. For me, it was about being more aggressive, trying to take control of the points whenever possible, and that was my main goal,” he added.

The victory marks Duckworth’s 18th ATP Challenger Tour career title, his second in Mexico after San Luis Potosi last year. The 34-year-old has consistently performed well in the country, citing the conditions as a key factor.

“I’ve had good results here in San Luis Potosi and Morelia. I think the altitude suits my game, and I’ve adapted well to the conditions,” he explained. Duckworth earned $33 650 in prize money as well as 125 ATP Ranking points.

For Napolitano, the defeat was a painful end to an otherwise strong week.

“Today was not my day, but one bad day doesn’t take away from the very good week I had. Of course, it hurts to lose a final when you were so close. Yesterday my level was much better, but today I couldn’t find the right rhythm. When you play a good player, you need to be at your level, otherwise he takes advantage,” the 31-year-old Italian admitted.

After early exits in 2023 and 2025, Duckworth finally lifted the trophy at the Estadio Rafael “Pelón” Osuna, completing a hard-fought and well-earned triumph in the Mexican capital.