In addition to being one in all Australia’s main observe athletes, Olympian Peter Bol reveals he’s additionally an enormous tennis fan in our Superstar Match collection.
Melbourne, Australia, 3 October 2024 | Leigh Rogers
Peter Bol is an Australian athletics star.
The 30-year-old holds the nationwide 800-metre observe report and is a three-time Olympian.
He created historical past at Tokyo 2020, turning into the primary Australian in 53 years to qualify for an Olympic males’s 800-metre ultimate. He completed fourth, lacking out on a medal by 0.53 seconds.
Bol, who has accomplished a development administration diploma and beforehand labored as an engineer, can be a motivational speaker and has appeared on actuality tv program SAS Australia.
In our Superstar Match collection, Bol reveals why he loves watching courtside on the Australian Open …
What do you get pleasure from most in regards to the Australian Open?
I’m an enormous fan and I’ve been fairly fortunate to return to the Australian Open each single yr. I feel Melbourne is the sporting capital of Australia and when you mix that with the climate, it’s unreal. It’s at all times very thrilling to be there.
You have been a particular visitor through the Novak and Mates charity evening, held at Rod Laver Enviornment throughout Opening Week at Australian Open 2024. What was that have like?
I feel I used to be extra nervous to have a run with him than I might be in an Olympic ultimate. It was cool attending to stroll onto Rod Laver Enviornment and be a part of a distinct sport. It was additionally attention-grabbing to see an athlete like Novak have the ability to run, to have the ability to stretch and play basketball. He’s multi-talented, which is fairly cool.
Did you get an opportunity to speak to Novak a lot earlier than or after the occasion?
I spoke to him just a little bit behind the scenes and he was very beneficiant along with his time. He gave me some recommendation and stated: ‘See you in Paris.’
Are there every other tennis gamers that you’d love to fulfill?
I met Nick Kyrgios through the summer season and I’m an enormous fan of his. He’s doing wonderful issues off the court docket and we’ve received a few of the identical pursuits, like basketball, so hopefully I’ll get the prospect to fulfill him just a few extra occasions.
Do you play tennis your self?
Probably not. I’ll have successful every so often, however I nonetheless want to enhance loads. I’m quick across the court docket, however I don’t have the agility that the highest tennis gamers have. I will be quick working in a straight line, however being agile is fairly onerous.
What do you get pleasure from most about tennis?
The very best a part of the sport might be how briskly it’s and watching it stay, you possibly can admire how good they’re. You possibly can observe it on tv, however once you’re sitting courtside and making an attempt to observe the ball it’s not possible. I had the prospect to try to return one in all Novak’s serves and that was not possible. It’s fairly onerous when that ball comes flying at you.
As knowledgeable athlete, what expertise do you most marvel at once you watch tennis?
Most likely their endurance. The gamers come out within the warmth and might final for hours. Their psychological capability to do this and to have the ability to keep centered is unreal. That’s one thing I’d wish to take from them, in addition to with the ability to carry out below all of the stress and circumstances they face on any given day.
> Learn extra interviews from our Superstar Match collection
Discover your option to play: Go to play.tennis.com.au to get out on court docket and have some enjoyable!