The 2026 US Open is underway, and there are plenty of stories around this year’s tennis tournament, from Novak Djokovic‘s early exit to Serena Williams‘ return playing doubles to Naomi Osaka’s high-fashion attire.
Thousands of spectators are taking in the action live in New York City while millions more watch from around the world. But only those selected to be part of the ball crew get to experience the matches on the court just feet from the tennis superstars.
So what exactly does it take to become a ball person at the US Open? Here’s what someone who’s been there and done that revealed about it.
Nancy Zhang served as a ball person at the 2023 US Open. Speaking on behalf of Betway about her experience, she told Showbiz Cheat Sheet, “The summer before I moved to New York, I wanted to pick up a new hobby and meet new people. I lived right next to some tennis courts, and I thought I would give it a go. I had my eye out to become a ball girl as a way of learning tennis, and I thought what better way to learn the sport.
“I was so shocked when I was asked to try out after I applied. I’m not a lifelong tennis fan, and most people who go for it are. It was all completely new to me … I had prepared a lot for the tryouts because I was so nervous! It was only one chance.”
Zhang continued, “You come at your scheduled time, and everyone is split up on different courts, and one staff member is judging every court. It would be around 10 of you trying out at once, and you will be rotating on the court. You could be catching a ball, rolling a ball, or bouncing a ball back.
“I had done extensive research and watched every video on the internet about ball crew tryouts. I practiced rolling tennis balls every day. I even went bowling because it’s very similar to a rolling technique. Luckily, I didn’t actually need tennis skills!”
However, Zhang shared that there is something everyone who tries out does need to know, “There was a tennis quiz to make sure you knew some of the basic information and rules of the game, but I reviewed the rules in a sort of manual beforehand. It wasn’t very complicated at all, but you did have to get every question right because of the volume of applicants.
“In my application, I spoke about the sports I do, so I spoke about running and Pilates. The key part was availability. A lot of people who are in college do it when they’re on summer break. I was working as a data scientist at the time. I think I also just got lucky! I was available when they needed me.”
Zhang added that the job was both “physically and mentally draining,” explaining, “It was physically demanding; you’re 90 minutes on, 90 minutes off. But what I didn’t expect was how mentally draining it was. It was very challenging because you have to be so alert and aware for all of the time that you’re on. It was a challenge; it was something completely new and exciting, and I loved it. But it definitely takes some adjusting to. You also just learn so much about tennis that you wouldn’t know.
“There was obviously a lot of adrenaline going on. I’d be constantly saying, ‘You’re so close to the players and to the ball.’ You don’t have a choice but to lock in, and the adrenaline keeps you going because it is so exciting.”
