Alex Bolt and James Duckworth are each win away from incomes a coveted main-draw spot at Wimbledon 2024.
London, Nice Britain, 27 June 2024 | Leigh Rogers
Two Australians have superior to the ultimate spherical within the Wimbledon 2024 males’s qualifying singles competitors.
James Duckworth continued his spectacular type, recording a 7-6(6) 6-4 victory in opposition to American Nicolas Moreno De Alboran in second-round motion as we speak at Roehampton.
“It was a tricky match,” stated the 32-year-old, who has now received 10 of his previous 13 matches and is prospering underneath a brand new teaching association. “Nicolas served rather well and it was troublesome for both of us to create too many alternatives.”
Duckworth’s final-round opponent is world No.262 Mark Lajal, a 21-year-old Estonian trying to qualify at a Grand Slam for the primary time.
“He’s a really proficient younger participant, so it’s going to be troublesome,” famous world No.78 Duckworth. “I would like to organize effectively and play effectively.”
In the meantime, Alex Bolt, who was solely elevated into the draw 10 minutes earlier than his first-round match two days in the past, is now one win away from finishing a profitable qualifying marketing campaign.
Persevering with to benefit from his alternate spot, Bolt scored a commanding 6-1 6-4 victory as we speak in opposition to German Rudolf Molleker.
The world No.234 tallied 31 winners, together with 11 aces, within the swift 60-minute encounter.
“I misplaced to him in Canberra (in January), so I knew it was going to be robust,” Bolt stated. “He has loads of weapons, so my primary focus in the beginning was to get on high of him early. I managed to get an early break and ran away with that first set, then stored the momentum up.”
This effort propels Bolt into the ultimate spherical of a Grand Slam qualifying draw for the primary time because the US Open in 2018.
“It’s nice,” stated the South Australian, who additionally beforehand featured within the Wimbledon closing qualifying spherical in 2014 and 2018.
“I really feel like lastly my physique is in a great place the place I can really again up some matches. I’m actually pleased with the way in which I’ve been doing all of my off-court stuff, which is now translating into wins.”
The 31-year-old has handled a number of harm setbacks in recent times. He underwent elbow surgical procedure in 2022 and was sidelined with osteitis pubis late in 2023.
“I had some niggles right here and there too in the beginning of this 12 months, which stored me off courtroom and from holding consistency,” Bolt stated. “However the previous month or two I’ve been capable of keep on the courtroom and get some rhythm, which has been nice.”
Seeking to proceed this momentum and qualify at Wimbledon for a second time, Bolt is now making ready for a final-round showdown with No.32 seed Leandro Riedi.
The 22-year-old from Switzerland, who received the Australian Open boys’ doubles title in 2020, is aiming to qualify at a significant event for the primary time.
“I’ll do some scouting,” Bolt stated. “However on the grass I feel it’s extra about what I deliver to the desk. If I can execute what I need to do, then good issues are going to occur.”
Duckworth and Bolt are aiming to hitch a nine-strong contingent already within the Wimbledon 2024 males’s singles draw.
World No.9 Alex de Minaur headlines this 12 months’s Australian cost alongside fellow direct acceptances Jordan Thompson, Alexei Popyrin, Chris O’Connell, Rinky Hijikata, Aleksandar Vukic, Thanasi Kokkinakis, Max Purcell and Adam Walton.
Closing qualifying spherical matches are performed tomorrow, with main-draw motion on the grass-court Grand Slam starting on Monday 1 July.
Aussies in motion – Wimbledon
RESULTS
Males’s qualifying singles, second spherical
[4] James Duckworth (AUS) d Nicolas Moreno De Alboran (USA) 7-6(6) 6-4
[Alt] Alex Bolt (AUS) d Rudolf Molleker (GER) 6-1 6-4
[6] Luca Van Assche (FRA) d Li Tu (AUS) 7-5 3-6 7-6(7)
COMING UP
Males’s qualifying singles, closing spherical
[4] James Duckworth (AUS) v Mark Lajal (EST)
[Alt] Alex Bolt (AUS) v [32] Leandro Riedi (SUI)
> VIEW: Wimbledon 2024 males’s qualifying singles draw
Discover your option to play: Go to play.tennis.com.au to get out on courtroom and have some enjoyable!
