Be a Tennis Ball Boy

So, you want to be a tennis ball boy? Go ahead. It's fun, but you also need to be prepared. Here are some ways you can be ready.

Steps

  1. Understand what the job is. So that you know what's going on, you're going to have to know some information on the basics of ball boy setup and rules. In a tennis match, there are normally 6 ball boys; 2 at the net and 1 in each corner. The ball boys at the net are positioned so that they each have a side. One at the left of the net, and one at the right. The ball boys have shifts, however, normally lasting 30-60 minutes.
  2. Know what the job entails. The ball boys at the net are responsible for rolling down the ball to the serving end. The ball boys in the back corners are responsible for either retrieving the ball and rolling it down to the serving end, or retrieving the ball and handing it to the server.
    • Since there are 6 ball boys in a tennis match, how is it decided who gets which ball? Normally, the person closest to the ball retrieves. At the net, there are several variations to who gets which ball. When there are 2 ball boys at the net, each ball boy is designated a side, but when a ball lands close to a ball boy at the net, even if that ball boy is not on that side, he may get it. Note that no ball boys should ever attempt to roll down the ball during a second serve or a let.
  3. Since there are many possibilities and variations that could happen, always keep several things in mind. Which choice will take the least time? Is this going to be of annoyance to the players? Is it going to annoy the audience? If your choice follows all of those guidelines, it is most definitely permitted.
  4. Learn what to do when. If you find yourself in a situation where you only have five ball boys in your group, and you’re making your way onto the court, what should you do? Obviously, if you are a ball boy for a major tournament, this would never happen, but you probably going to be reading this if you are or were in a major tournament like Wimbledon or even the Rogers Cup. So, if you do actually face this problem, the most logical thing to do would be to designate a person to be a “runner”. There always has to be two ball boys at the net, but the ball boys in the back, or corners, are not always needed. The most important thing to remember is that you need two people at the back on the server’s end, and one on the receiver’s end. When the players change serving roles, your “runner” will have to run to the other side so that there are two people on the serving end now, and one on the receiving end. Make note of when you don’t have to run to the other side. This is when the score in the total amount of games in that set is odd. However, in the tiebreak, the players don’t change every even.
    • Let’s say that you are a ball boy at the net, and you are chasing down a ball. The ball that you are chasing, however, didn’t stop where you thought it would, but rather kept on rolling and now find yourself not near the net, but near a ball boy in the corner. What do you think is the most sensible solution? If you had thought it through, it would be staying with the ball boy in the corner for one point, and then go back to your original position.
  5. When a player asks you for a towel, you give it to them. Normally, this isn’t a hard task, however, if that player is the server, keep two things in mind. The first one is to remember to give him the towel and drop that ball onto his racket. The second is to keep in mind that he/she doesn’t want to be waiting for you, so give him/her the towel, pick up any balls that you have to retrieve (quickly!) and take back the towel and put it back in the designated area. When players are switching sides, make sure that you give the towel back to the player, they don’t want to use someone else's!
  6. Know when the ball needs to be replaced. When the server has just finished a point with a ball, he/she normally won’t want to play with that same ball again. If you have no other balls but that one, give it to him/her, but normally they will turn around to another ball boy. If it just so happens that you have no balls whatsoever, show your two hands showing the player that they are empty. Do this also to show how many balls you have, even when you have three, four or even five. When you are feeding a tennis ball to the player, make sure it bounces once on the ground and “floats” about at the player’s waist level.
  7. Help with refreshments. Sometimes tournaments supply water or refreshments for the players. If the player asks for some type of beverage, run to the bin and get it.
    • Same as for the towels, if a ball is rolling down, and the player needs a tennis ball, give it to the player, and then retrieve the ball.
  8. Learn what other aspects of the job you should know about. If you are at the net, you will most likely be asked to hold an umbrella for the tennis player. Sometimes the ball boys at the back will be asked to stand in front of the players.

Tips

  • Don't mess up by thinking the point is over when its not.
  • Be fast, aware, and smooth in all of your motions.
  • The chair umpire will ask you to bring in the old balls and get new ones after the first seven games in the first set only, and then ball changes will occur every nine games.
  • One thing that you want to keep in mind is that the player comes first. There are several areas in which ball boys can make a mistake during their first five or six matches.
  • What is a double roll: a double roll is where you roll 2 balls at the same time and you have to make it perfect, thus making the process quicker and being a lot faster, so you can get the player his/her balls... you kinda have to spin the ball closest to your palm with your pinky- a ball boy at one of the top tournaments in the world a 1000 event
  • Also keep in mind how to walk on to court. Before you get onto court you will be arranged. Walk on with your hands behind your back. Then go to your position.

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