AUSTRALIAN fan-favourite Alex Bolt put it all on the line in his Round 2 match against fifth seed Dominic Thiem on Day 4 of the Australian Open. We put the spotlight on each player on the court to see what made them tick.

Alex Bolt (AUS)

By: Sophie Taylor

Australian wildcard and left-hander Alex Bolt put in a hard fought effort against his fifth-seed counterpart in Dominic Thiem, eventually going down in five sets, 2-6 7-5 7-6 1-6 2-6, but proving his third round effort last year at the Open wasn’t a fluke. A slow first set from the Aussie saw Thiem grab momentum but fortunately it took more than that to get in Bolt’s head, with the 27-year-old grabbing every opportunity from then on by the horns.

With a clean serve and aces to boot, the crowd favourite had a lacklustre start but won back the second set in a come from behind effort that saw him go from two sets down at 3-5 to win the set at 7-5 in under 15 minutes, relishing the crowd’s excitement to get into the match. Bolt’s strong racket-work was key returning the ball over the net, with Thiem’s fast serves throwing him off guard and often overshooting the mark, putting too much behind the ball at times. Bolt got cleaner as the match continued, with sloppiness in the first set giving way to a more refined and controlled second set. 

Bolt showcased a wealth of skills in his rallies, showing some real depth in his ability to anticipate the next hits to position accordingly. His movement towards the net provided some great points, particularly in the second and third sets when he was really making a case for himself and his game. Bolt also showcased his patience and ability to lift under pressure in the second and third sets, winning a tiebreaker in the third. His ability to turn the tide was astounding in such a high pressure situation, but his relative cleanliness and conversion rate off his own serve (73 per cent in both the second and third sets) made it work – until it didn’t, losing the fourth and fifth sets as the Austrian found a second wind. While Bolt was ultimately unable to outlast the calibre of fast finishing Thiem, his ability to perform and keep up throughout the match was stellar against the fifth seed.

Dominic Thiem (AUT)

By: Taylah Melki

The world number five put out a convincing performance in the first set downing opponent Alex Bolt in 30 minutes. But the following sets did not follow the same pattern with Thiem struggling to muster up his usual game play.

Thiem showcased his intentions early breaking the Australians serve in the first game of the first set and then claiming the second game off his own serve to go two games to none. The Austrian was strong on the serve and displayed a variety of shots while covering the court well and using his good change of pace and direction to dictate play. Thiem grew with confidence, reading the flight of the ball well to hit the return ball and make it hard for Bolt. He showed plenty of athleticism, flexibility and skill to recover even when out of position and dish up a winner. One of Thiem’s attributes throughout the match was his serve generating a lot of power serving up a 195kmh ball in the fourth game of the first set. Pair his explosive serve with his strong forehand and the Austrian proved to be a handful for the Aussie youngster. Thiem showcased time and time again that he was not afraid to come up to the net clearly signalling his attacking mindset. He used the angles well to make Bolt run wild across the court and dictate the play with his hitting but encountered a speedbump in the sixth game of the first set with his serve but was quick to recover winning the overall set with ease.

Thiem started to feel the pressure as the game dragged on unable to break Bolt’s serve. His big hitting and freedom seemed to dry up instead opting for the backhand as he started to tire. He showed glimpses of brilliance with a couple of impressive shots down the line while displaying plenty of composure to think his way through the shots he played. He lost his concentration midway through the third set blazing away and dishing up overcooked shots. With his lack of concentration Thiem also lost his rhythm hitting the net a few times and not choosing the right shots. It was clear to see that the Austrian was down on his usual high standards but his endurance kept him in the game.

The five-set match was as close as they come with Thiem and Bolt going toe-to-toe in a gruelling encounter. Bolt collected 14 aces in the tough loss, averaging a serve of 176kmh and hitting 52 winners to Thiem’s 56 – but also racking up the unforced errors with 60 for the match. On the other hand, Thiem served up 12 aces producing an average speed of 185kmh on his first serve showcasing just how dominant he can be. The Austrian clocked 214km on one of his serves and was much cleaner across the court only amassing 31 unforced errors. With the Aussie’s comeback effort at stake, Bolt was able to keep his cool and challenge Thiem all the way, winning two sets of the five against an outstanding opponent but just did not have the poise and control to go all the way this time.