Last Thursday people from all walks of life flocked to the…
By Everett Fell
The last tournament of the grand slam of tennis is around the corner, but players like Serena Williams and Andre Agassi are not the only ones gearing up for the late summer fortnight in Flushing.
Last Thursday people from all walks of life flocked to the National Tennis Center for a chance to be a U.S. Open ballboy.
Approximately 400 people tried out although only 75 to 100 ballboys will be taken.
The tryouts consisted of two tests for two different positions — net ballboy and back ballboy.
Zack Richner, a 16-year-old from Rockville Centre, L.I. tried out for both.
Richner tried out last year too, and after receiving a letter inviting him to the next series of tryouts, he had to decline because his family had scheduled a vacation.
“I don’t want to pass up a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity again,” Richner said. “My family already took our summer vacation this year.”
The tryout emulated a real tennis match. Returning ballboys purposely hit balls into the net, and Richner and others gracefully ran to scoop up the ball. They then raced off the court and went back to starting position — with their hands behind their backs and their backs straight.
Richner then one-bounced the ball to the back ballboys standing in the corner of the court, unlike Wimbledon where the ballboys roll the balls.
Richner tracked down balls about five times without making a mistake before going through the back ballboy tryout.
Richner and another newcomer walked to the opposite corners of the court. Richner made three cross-court throws, intending to hit his target on one bounce, and then caught the ball being thrown by the other newcomer.
Again Richner performed error-free.
“I think I did really well this time,” Richner said. “I was a little nervous standing on the side, but once they hit the balls I was fine.”
Richner and others now patiently will wait for their evaluations to come in the mail. If he is called back he will go through another series of tests before finally knowing if he will receive the minimum-wage job.
A week before the U.S. Open starts, there is the qualifying round. Besides giving up-and-coming tennis players a chance to make the tournament, this allows the U.S. Open to have a final look at the new ballboys.
“It’s a chance to hone your skills before the tournament,” said Alex Khalef, an 18-year-old Brooklyn resident who is entering his second year of being a ballboy at the Open. “It’s the greatest job in the world. You get the best seats in the house to watch the best tennis players in the world compete.”
Unfortunately not everyone has what it takes to become a ballboy. Still many came to try out just for the experience.
“I honestly don’t think I’m going to make it,” said Corey Chu, a 17-year-old Fresh Meadows resident.
Chu and his 16-year-old friend Thomas Szezlak decided to try out on the advice of a friend who got the job last year.
“I’m not really athletic,” Szezlak said. “But I’m going to try anyway.”
After waiting in the stands for about two hours, Chu and Szelzak tried out at the same time. Both hustled at the net, but they did not go so fast as to lose control.
They performed adequately in the first test, but Chu made a few errant throws during the back ballboy tryout, including one throw that went into the stands.
“I had fun,” Chu said between heavy breaths. “I wasn’t nervous because I had nothing to lose.”
But for everyone trying out, there was a whole lot to gain.
“It’s a lot of fun, and it’s a unique privilege to come back,” added veteran ballboy Adam Fran, a 39-year-old resident of Manhattan who has worked four men’s finals in 10 years as an Open ballboy.
Six ballboys are required for every match, including a crew chief who makes sure everyone is doing the right thing.
Despite the perks to the job, it still requires plenty of hard work and concentration.
“You can’t lose focus,” Fran said. “You have to know when there are ball changes, know tie break rules and know players’ certain quirks.”
For example, Fran and the other returning ballboys know that Conchita Martinez always wants exactly three balls. They know that Agassi wants the balls off the court immediately, because he doesn’t want to stop play.
Pete Sampras yelled at Fran last year during the semifinals for not getting a towel quick enough.
“You just got to stand there and take it,” Fran said. “It’s the players’ prerogatives.”
Fran and the returning veterans will help out as much as possible with the new ballboys. Fortunately, they have time before they need to be ready, as the 2003 U.S. Open kicks off Aug. 25.
Reach reporter Everett Fell by email at TimesLedger@aol.com or call 718-229-0300, Ext. 130.
