Switch proves smart move
South Australian gives footy the boot and aces second-round test
South Australian Alex Bolt (above) reckons he made the correct decision in dropping the footy boots and picking up the tennis racquet again. The 24-year-old stepped away from tennis in 2016 after battling injury and the travel that is required, deciding to pull on the footy boots with the Mipolonga Football Club in South Australia’s River Murray Football League.
SOUTH Australian Alex Bolt says he made the correct decision in dropping the footy boots and picking up the tennis racquet again.
The 24-year-old stepped away from tennis in 2016 after battling injury and the travel that is required, deciding to pull on the footy boots with the Mipolonga Football Club in South Australia’s River Murray Football League.
“I just felt like I needed to have a bit of time away from tennis to refresh my mind and here I am now,” Bolt said yesterday afternoon after winning his second-round match at the Cairns Tennis International.
“I tried to kick a few goals but I was not that great at it, that is why I am back playing tennis.
“I think I will stick with tennis.
“I guess sometimes you lose some interest in your passion and you need to realise what you want to do and that happened to me.”
Bolt was made to work hard for his second-round victory yesterday, a 7-5 6-3 win over close mate Andrew Harris.
Harris took out last week’s Hutchinson Builders Toowoomba International and Bolt, whose career-high ranking is world No.164, knew it would take a massive effort to roll the in-form Victorian right-hander.
“I feel like I am playing some really good tennis,” Bolt said.
“Andrew won the tournament in Toowoomba last week so I knew I was up against it and it took some of my best tennis to beat him.
“I have grown up playing with Andrew so I know his game well, I needed a good plan to beat him and I felt I executed that.”
In other second-round matches yesterday, the top two seeds, Dayne Kelly and Omar Jasika, both had comfortable victories in straight sets.
American Nathan Pasha sprung the upset of yesterday’s competition, rolling fifth seed Andrew Whittington in three exciting sets after dropping the first.
The Cairns Tennis International is part of the Australian Pro Tour.