2021 Australian Open Second Round – Grigor Dimitrov vs Alex Bolt Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
Where is Grigor Dimitrov vs Alex Bolt taking place? Melbourne Park, Melbourne
When is Grigor Dimitrov vs Alex Bolt on and what time does it start? Wednesday 10th February, 2021 – not before 09:15 (UK)
Where can I get tickets for Grigor Dimitrov vs Alex Bolt? Click here to reach the official 2021 Australian Open ticket selection
What channel is Grigor Dimitrov vs Alex Bolt on? The 2021 Australian Open will be televised on Eurosport so it is worth checking their schedule for this specific match
Where can I stream Grigor Dimitrov vs Alex Bolt in the UK? Sky customers can stream this match on the Sky Go app. Alternatively, the match can be streamed to subscribers of Eurosport Player, either on the official website or as an add-on to an Amazon Prime subscription
THE LOWDOWN
GRIGOR DIMITROV
- 29-year-old Grigor Dimitrov looked in great shape in his first round match against old foe Marin Cilic, smashing 19 aces past an opponent with an excellent wingspan in straight sets.
- The world number 21 was shocked at this stage of the Australian Open last season in a five-set, five-hour long marathon match with the USA’s Tommy Paul but his benchmark here is the semi-finals in 2017.
ALEX BOLT
- 28-year-old Alex Bolt did very well to overcome Norbert Gombos in four sets to reach the second round of the Australian Open for a third consecutive season.
- The world number 266 beat Gilles Simon at this stage over five sets in 2019 and came so close last season to putting out the eventual runner-up Dominic Thiem as the Austrian came back from 2-1 down.
THE PREDICTION
Alex Bolt enjoyed some success at the Murray River Open last week, forcing Stan Wawrinka to a deciding set in the round of 16 there before losing to the Swiss. His four-set defeat of Norbert Gombos in the first round is in keeping with the Australian’s incredible ability to win-up in his home country and he will be the hero of the piece in this second round match, supported by almost the entire Margaret Court Arena. The late-night atmosphere should contribute to the emotions here and Grigor Dimitrov will likely find himself in a hornets’ nest here as he attempts to avoid a potential banana skin. 28-year-old Bolt’s performances against Thiem and Simon in the two previous years here suggest he is at his best on the big stage and he can take at least a set here against the sometimes questionable mentality of Dimitrov. The Bulgarian should more than likely come through this on paper but pick both players to take a set here in doing so. As a one-off punt, it could be worth picking this one to go the distance.
