An all-Australian match involving good mates and doubles partners saw a good crowd at centre court for the Workday Canberra International round one of qualifying.
Marc Polmans got the better of Alex Bolt, winning 7-6(4), 7-5.
World no. 396 Polmans needed a wildcard just to play in the qualifying event. Bolt at no. 171 was looking to get 2026 off to a good start and work his way up the rankings.
Both players have played in Canberra several times and have ambitions to crack the top-100 for the first time. Polmans has a career-high of no. 116 back in 2020. Bolt reached no. `25 in 2019.
The players are experienced at Grand Slam level with Polmans having reached the second round at the Australian Open, Roland Garros and Wimbledon.
Bolt reached the third round at the 2019 Australian Open.
The two Australians went into the match with a 4-2 head to head from qualifying, Challenger and Future matches, with Bolt on four wins.
After no breaks of serve, the first set was decided in a tie-breaker, with Polmans falling behind early.
Bolt went from 2-0, to 2-2 after he hit long. The players changed ends at 3-3.
At 4-4 Bolt served and then charged the net only to push an easy volley wide. Polmans took advantage of the mini-break and served out the breaker with a Bolt unforced error handing the set to Polmans.
Polmans saved a break point in the third game after Bolt hit a retrieved drop shot into the net.
Back to back unforced errors from Bolt saw Polmans with a break point in the fourth game. Polmans converted after Bolt smashed just wide.
Polmans would consolidate the break to lead 4-1. Bolt at this stage was missing a lot of returns.
Bolt saved two match points from 15-40 in the 8th game, with Polmans hitting a forehand wide from a second serve, that was followed by an Ace.
28-year-old Polmans was at 30-0 when serving for the match at 5-3. He hit just wide to see Bolt get to 30-15, it was 30-30 after a Bolt volley winner.
Bolt earned a break-back point after Polmans hit long. The game being conceded after another shot from Polmans that just went long.
With games back on serve Bolt held to love to level the match at 5-5, an Ace sealing that game.
Polmans held comfortably to move to 6-5.
A volley winner from Polmans saw him go to 0-15, a missed shot from Bolt and the 32-year-old was under pressure. A shot sent wide by Bolt saw his opponent with three match points at 0-40. An Ace saved one.
A good wide serve saved another before Bolt hit long to concede the match.
It wasn’t an ideal outcome for Bolt who turns 33 on 5 January.
Polmans advanced to face Britain’s Jack Pinnington Jones, Pinnington Jones came back from losing his first set to Belgium’s Gilles Arnaud Bailly 6-0.
In other matches involving Australian men, Pavle Marinkov lost to Spain’s Rafael Jodar, 6-4, 6-3. Daniel Jovanovksi lost to Britain’s Arthur Fery 3-6, 6-4, 6-0. Finally it was Ymerali Ibraimi that lost to USA’s Martin Damm 7-5, 6-4.
In women’s qualifying four Australian women all lost. Renee Alam lost to Romania’s Miriam Bulgaru 6-1, 6-4. Stefani Webb lost to Japan’s Ena Shibahara 7-6(5), 6-1. Giselle Isabell Guillen lost to Elena Pridankina 6-3, 6-2 and Sarah Rokusek lost to Anouk Kovermans from Holland, the score was 6-0, 6-1.
On Monday round two of qualifying continues, along with round 1 action in the main draw.
James McCabe is scheduled to play on centre court against Mark Lajal, that match is followed by Tina Smith taking on Lanlana Tararudee.
Edward Winter will play Japan’s Sho Shimabukuro on court 4.
To view more photos from the Workday Canberra International visit Robicia Tennis Photography.
