It was shaping up to be a spectacular ATP Challenger 125 final between the top seed, James Duckworth, and Stefano Napolitano. The match was at 6-7, 5-5 in the second set, with the Italian in the lead, when the weather rendered it impossible to continue. Following this, the tournament was only left with the option of halting the whole game until the next day.
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The tournament officials confirmed the suspension, saying the singles final has been called off due to rain. Soon, a live stream announcer made it official that no further play would be done on Sunday, as anyone who was observing the skies above Mexico City had guessed. Play is set to resume on Monday at 12:00 local time, roughly 16 hours after the players were forced off court due to a heavy downpour that left the surface unplayable.
La final de singles del Mexico City Open Presentado por Bx+ se encuentra suspendida por lluvia⛈️#MCO2026 pic.twitter.com/HZ71WhSpAp
— México City Open (@mxcityopen) April 12, 2026
To both players, the wait is as mentally challenging as it would be on the court itself. The atmosphere, the flow, the rhythm, all of it will take a toll overnight. It is difficult for the top seed to regain momentum in such an important match, with only two games remaining. Such a long break can take the game either way; Duckworth can make a significant comeback in the afternoon, or Napolitano can simply seal the game in 10 minutes.
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The world No. 80, Duckworth, had arrived in Mexico City in good spirits, having bagged a runner-up finish in the San Luis Potosi Challenger the previous week. The Australian has not concealed his intentions of getting into the top 50 this season and winning a title here.
“I’m playing well at altitude, I like the conditions, and also the atmosphere and the vibe around here,” he had said after his semifinal win over Tibo Colson, a 7-6, 6-4 result that confirmed his credentials as the deserving favourite.
Napolitano came to the final with an emotional week behind. The Italian, ranked world No. 240 and a blatant underdog to the top seed, had made it to the final through a journey that saw him celebrate his birthday.
The fans at the Estadio sang Happy Birthday to him after his semifinal victory. It was evident that the occasion meant something to him, and his performance in the first set, wherein he took it to a tiebreak, indicated clearly that he can compete to the core.
The rain has given him 16 hours more to think about what a title would mean.
The match resumes on Monday at 5–5 in the second set, with the Italian holding the advantage, setting up an exciting scenario to see if the top seed can mount a comeback from the brink.
A Tournament That Has Earned Its Reputation the Hard Way
The rain fiasco of Sunday is an exasperating episode in what has grown into one of the most lauded stories on the ATP Challenger Tour. Mexico City Open is not just any Challenger event.
In December 2024, the event was named the Tournament of the Year on the ATP Challenger Tour. The players themselves voted on a list of 207 Challenger events held in 48 countries. The award, which is decided by the participants in terms of the tournament services, organization, facilities, and overall experience, put the Mexico City Open at the very top of the global Challenger circuit.
It was the acknowledgement that had been growing since the very first year of the tournament in 2022. The players who have played at the Estadio Rafael “Pelon” Osuna, commonly referred to as the “Cathedral of Tennis” in Mexico, report that it is one of the most enjoyable experiences on the entire Challenger tour.
The tournament’s director Jorge Nicolín captured the feeling perfectly when the award was announced: “This award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the entire team behind the Mexico City Open, the invaluable support of the Board of Directors of the Centro Deportivo Chapultepec, our sponsors, and the encouragement from the ATP Challenger team and our passionate tennis fans.”
It is all topped off by the unusual setting. The elevation of 2,240 metres above sea level means that the ball moves faster than nearly anywhere else on the tour. It offers a unique, high-energy playing environment that players have repeatedly praised. The attendance has been increasing every year, and the final rounds are often sold out. It has drawn serious high-end competitors and has established a reputation for delivering conditions hard to match by Challenger events anywhere else on the globe.
The reputation of the Mexico City Open has been built match after match and year by year. A single afternoon of weather anarchy will not make a difference.
Written by
Edited by
Purva Jain