Kids net Open

By Ed Merrison
FOUR teenagers from the Dandenong Ranges are playing a role at this year’s Australian Open tennis.
Upwey residents Shae Sloane, Nick Turner and Will Morris, and Georgia Sverns from Tecoma, travelled to Melbourne for their first induction day as ballboys and girls for the Grand Slam event which began yesterday (Monday, 16 January).
The quartet will be part of a team of 320 ballkids selected from thousands of applicants aged between 12 and 15 years of age from around Australia and the Asia Pacific region.
For Georgia, Shae and Nick, each one a member of Upwey-Tecoma tennis club, this marks a second successive year of service at the tournament.
Georgia said she made lots of friends at last year’s event and could not wait to return.
“I loved it last year and it’s great to come back again,” she said.
On a typical day, which may begin as early as 8am and end as late as 11pm, the ballkids do 45 minutes on court followed by 45 minutes off.
During their time off, they are free to hang out in the ballkid area under the Rod Laver Arena watching TV, playing games or wandering to the cafe.
The set up gives plenty of scope for the ballkids to mix and make friends, and these keen young players even get the odd chance to hit like their heroes when there’s a spare court.
Georgia said she hoped this would not be her last year attending to the world’s top players.
“I hope to carry on and get up to the big courts,” she said.
Experience is needed to move up to the show courts, as well as low, fast rolling and a high level of concentration on the score and the needs of the players, according to Georgia.
Nick, who has been playing tennis for almost eight years said measures had to be taken to make sure heat did not become a distraction.
“It gets really hot, so you’ve got to make sure you take lots of fluids,” he said.
This will be Will’s first time in the tournament and though he was nervous and shocked to be chosen on his first attempt, he believed he had the skills to make the grade.
“I have played cricket for three to four years and that has helped me with the skills that ballkids need to use,” Will said.
This year, financial institution and sponsor Aviva is offering $1000 prize money for outstanding performance and conduct.
The teenagers said they would save some of the money and spend some either on an item they have wanted for some time, or donate it to charity.
But Nick felt the chance to experience the crowds, the stars and the tight-knit group that the ballkids form was incentive enough.
“It’s really great – the atmosphere is just incredible,” he said.