Behind the scenes at the US Open Ball Crew tryouts
NEW YORK - This week at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center—the home of the US Open, thousands of applicants will try their chance at becoming an official Ball Crew member--a competition that requires extreme concentration, speed, agility and hand-eye coordination.
At the very minimum, these speedy applicants must prove that they know how to move around the court quickly and retrieve tennis balls without interrupting the match.
Applicants have to complete rigorous drills in order to prove their ability.
"Being able to be on the court for 20, 25 minutes," says 26-year-old Rohit Talreja who is a 6th-year ball crew member. "That's what the tryout period is. And just to see if they can kind of go through the training that we put them through."
Crew members dry the court after rain enters through the outer openings of the roof causing a delay in the second round match on Day Three of the 2021 US Open at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Instead of capturing a Grand Slam—those stepping onto the court—have their eyes set on becoming a member of the ball crew.
"It's the best opportunity in my opinion," says 18-year-old Aarshia Hukmani who is entering her third year as a member of the US Open ball crew, she adds she had to get used to all the endurance the role requires. "I would definitely say like the running aspect and the stamina because it's really difficult to keep continuously running and having your heart rate not fully go up and getting all nervous. So yeah, that's pretty hard."
(Photo by Stephen Pond/Getty Images for LTA)
Over 1000 applicants were whittled down and 400 tennis lovers are expected to partake in the tryouts—and of those—roughly 100 hopefuls will make the cut.
"I've been playing since I was seven years old and I wanted to see the pros play up close," says 16-year-old Spandan Chandra, practiced whenever he could get with his family. "If you train well, if you practice, if you follow the guidebook—then you should be fine."
Carlos Alcaraz of Spain with the winner's trophy with ball boys and girls after his on Arthur Ashe Stadium during the US Open Tennis Championship 2022 at the USTA National Tennis Centre on September 11th 2022 in Flushing, Queens, New York City. (Phot
Anyone age 14 and up can become a ball person and hopefuls usually hail from the tri-state area... seeing the pros up close and personal—the perkest perk of the job.
"Last year I worked [Rafael] Nadal's match for the first time and I was on Arthur Ash Stadium for the first time," adds Hukmani.
"It was really nervewracking because there's so many people cheering and it's Nadal—it was crazy, but I had fun. It was amazing.
"The US Open is the only grand slam that pays its ball crew—members earn $16 an hour—but the job is not without risk... considering the serves of the stars can easily reach more than 130 miles-per-hour.
(Photo by EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP via Getty Images)
"It's so scary," says Hukmani. "Sometimes the receiving player doesn't hit it and you have to catch it right at the speed that it's coming and it's scary because coming right at you."
But you sure can't beat that vantage point.
"It's the best ticket in the house," adds Chandra.
Members of the ball crew work the entirety of the tournament. The 2023 US Open starts on August 22nd with Fan Week—which is free—all the way through the Men’s Singles Final on September 10th.