​Aussie Unknowns Blast Through Qualifiers To Crack The Australian Open

Last year, Aussies Alex Bolt and Blake Mott were a long way from grinding out a living on the professional tennis tour. Both had stepped away from the game for a spell, but in a startling turnaround, they are now celebrating their Grand Slam debuts having each won three consecutive qualifying matches to book their places in the Australian Open main draw.

They are the first Australian pair to do so since Jaymon Crabb and Todd Larkham achieved the feat way back in 2003.

24-year-old Bolt, a South Australian native, reached a career high of world No.160 in early 2015, but was more recently to be found kicking a footy around with his local club in the Murray Valley.

"I was getting sick of the travel and being away from home," he said. "Everything was a bit much. I just couldn't do it any more so I went home for a refresh."

After nine months without a competitive hit out, Bolt – having slipped to No.512 – entered the qualifying draw of a local second-tier ATP Challenger event in Happy Valley on the outskirts of Adelaide. In front of family and friends, he not only made the main draw but went on to beat highly regarded Japanese player Tatsuma Ito in the opening round.

Buoyed by that result, he took advantage of a wildcard to enter the qualifying draw at the Australian Open where he went on a rampage, clinching his main draw ticket and a guaranteed $50,000 paycheck with a stunning final round win over French former world No.25 Julien Benneteau.

"What an unbelievable feeling," Bolt said after the match. "It hasn't really sunk in yet. This is just my second tournament back and I've managed to qualify for a Grand Slam. It's unreal."

Similarly, 20-year-old Blake Mott had been on the rise, winning an ATP Challenger event in Launceston last year as a teenager and looking a likely prospect to go on to bigger and better things. But he too decided to take a break, turning his hand to labouring for his dad as they renovated a house in Melbourne.

On Saturday, he joined Bolt, blasting his way into the main draw by defeating Ireland's James McGee after earlier in the week taking care of quality players including Germany's Tobias Kamke and Russian Alexander Kudryavtsev.

"I'm a bit speechless," he said. "I'm just so pumped I get an opportunity to play in my first Grand Slam in the country where I grew up playing tennis, watching it on TV, it's pretty special.

"I'm pretty emotional. All the work, all the years. I've had some tough times. I had a lot of people doubting me. But it's always been my dream. To be actually living it right now is surreal.

"I'll give it a real crack in the main draw."

However, a very stern test awaits Mott, after being drawn to meet flamboyant Frenchman Richard Gasquet first up.

Bolt, on the other hand, will open his campaign against Japan's world No.100 Yoshihito Nishioka – a match he has every chance of winning – before potentially facing thirteenth seed Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain.

The inclusion of Bolt and Mott swells the number of Aussie men competing at Melbourne Park this fortnight to 11 – including the likes of Nick Kyrgios, Bernard Tomic and Sam Groth.