Superstar Match with Peter Bol | 3 October, 2024 | All Information | Information and Options | Information and Occasions

Peter Bol is an Australian athletics star.

The 30-year-old holds the nationwide 800-metre observe file and is a three-time Olympian.

He created historical past at Tokyo 2020, changing into the primary Australian in 53 years to qualify for an Olympic males’s 800-metre closing. He completed fourth, lacking out on a medal by 0.53 seconds.

Bol, who has accomplished a building 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 concerning the Australian Open?

I’m an enormous fan and I’ve been fairly fortunate to return to the Australian Open each single 12 months. I feel Melbourne is the sporting capital of Australia and when you mix that with the climate, it’s unreal. It’s all the time very thrilling to be there.

You have been a particular visitor in the course of the Novak and Pals 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 closing. It was cool attending to stroll onto Rod Laver Enviornment and be a part of a unique sport. It was additionally attention-grabbing to see an athlete like Novak be capable 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 a bit of bit behind the scenes and he was very beneficiant together with his time. He gave me some recommendation and mentioned: ‘See you in Paris.’

Are there every other tennis gamers that you’d love to satisfy?

I met Nick Kyrgios in the course of the summer season and I’m an enormous fan of his. He’s doing wonderful issues off the courtroom and we’ve received a few of the identical pursuits, like basketball, so hopefully I’ll get the possibility to satisfy him just a few extra occasions.

Do you play tennis your self?

Not likely. I’ll have successful now and again, however I nonetheless want to enhance lots. I’m quick across the courtroom, however I don’t have the agility that the highest tennis gamers have. I could be quick operating in a straight line, however being agile is fairly onerous.

Peter Bol hitting with Novak Djokovic throughout Australian Open 2024. Image: Getty Photographs

What do you get pleasure from most about tennis?

One of the best a part of the sport might be how briskly it’s and watching it reside, you’ll be able to recognize how good they’re. You’ll be able to comply with it on tv, however once you’re sitting courtside and attempting to comply with the ball it’s unimaginable. I had the possibility to attempt to return considered one of Novak’s serves and that was unimaginable. It’s fairly onerous when that ball comes flying at you.

As an expert athlete, what abilities 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 try 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 having the ability to carry out beneath all of the stress and circumstances they face on any given day.