CARY, September 16, 2018

Australian qualifier James Duckworth continues his run, advancing to Sunday’s final of the Atlantic Tire Championships by defeating the No. 5 seeded US-American Bjorn Fratangelo 6-3,6-4. Duckworth served 17 aces and saved all six break points in the pair’s first meeting.

The 26-year-old from Sydney is hoping to become the tournament’s second qualifying player to raise the trophy on Sunday. Duckworth will face No. 4 seed Reilly Opelka from the United States in the Championship match. Opelka defeated Kaichi Uchida 6-3, 6-4 in the first semi-final match of the day. Opelka’s large serve helped him to overtake Uchida in exactly one hour. It will be the first meeting for Duckworth and Opelka.

All US-American team of Evan King and Hunter Reese defeated Toshihide Matsui and Frederik Nielsen to advance to the doubles final. King and Reese struggled with serving during the first set, but steadily increased their first serve percentage to 83 per cent by the third set. King and Reese will face the No. 1 seeds Fabrice Martin and Hugo Nys. Martin and Nys defeated local University of North Carolina players William Blumberg and Blaine Boyden 6-3, 5-7, 13-11 in the Saturday’s longest match. The encounter lasted one hour and 26 minutes.

Saturday, September 15 – RESULTS
Men’s Singles Semifinals

(4) Reilly Opelka (USA) def Kaichi Uchida (JPN) 6-3, 6-4
(Q) James Duckworth (AUS) def (5) Bjorn Fratangelo (USA) 6-3, 6-4

Men’s Doubles Semifinals
Evan King / Hunter Reese (USA) def (4) Toshihide Matsui (JPN) / Frederik Nielsen (DEN) 2-6, 6-1, 10-8
(1) Fabrice Martin / Hugo Nys (FRA) def (WC) William Blumberg / Blaine Boyden (USA) 6-3, 5-7, 13-11