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Balls fly or ball children sprint from all sides. Even Michelle Kiener has to be careful not to get caught in the crossfire as she walks the five indoor courts of the Paradies Tennis Center. Here in Allschwil, right on the city limits of Basel, the ball children are preparing for the Swiss Indoors. And here on this day Kiener is the boss of the house.
For 25 years she has been training girls and boys between the ages of 11 and 16 who throw or roll the balls to the tennis stars. From Tim Henman and Andre Agassi to Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and of course record winner Roger Federer – Kiener has seen everyone come and go at the traditional tournament.
This year, after the cancellation of Carlos Alcaraz, she scored points when introducing the field, especially with Holger Rune or the Swiss Stan Wawrinka and Dominic Stricker. Their names cause the most whispers among the children. Certainly: they are also happy with the attractive list of participants for the ATP 500 event, which starts on Monday with the first main round. But when things get serious during tournament week, they have to keep calm: “The children are also official representatives of the event. And as such, we do not support players. We don’t even clap in the stands. It’s important to put on your poker face.”
“You are allowed to make mistakes”
Kiener and her team must also demand discipline in training. It’s about good attitude, speed and mindfulness on the field. Everything should run as orderly as possible and look as orderly as possible. In Allschwil, additional games and tiebreaks are simulated with tennis players from the region.
“It is important that we stay focused on what we are doing,” says Jeremy (14), who is participating for the second time. And Amy (12) says: “It’s especially strict when you’re on the network.” But Kyana (13) emphasizes, just like the other two: “It’s a lot of fun.” And she is also used to exercising a lot. Most children also play tennis themselves.
Kiener says: “Of course we have to be a little strict, but at the end of the day we are talking about children here: you can make mistakes. And I think it can ultimately be a very educational week for everyone.” Actually, it’s about giving the tournament a good calling card: “The professionals have to notice that everything runs smoothly and don’t have to get annoyed. The rule is: we are good if we don’t attract attention.”
Everything is even bigger at Wimbledon
The 60 children were selected in June as part of an initial selection, for which 120 interested parties could register. After the participants have been chosen, there will be a training day in Allschwil in October and a joint tour of the St. Jakobshalle immediately before the start of the tournament.
For comparison, in Basel there are 32 players in singles (plus 16 teams in doubles). However, at a Grand Slam tournament like Wimbledon there are 128 for both women and men, plus many more in the qualifiers and other categories. Wimbledon, which traditionally starts in late June or early July, annually selects 250 ball children from 1,000 applicants and begins their first training sessions in February.
But whether in South-West London or in St. Jakob in Basel: Nothing is better than competition training, Kiener says laughing: “We notice that the children are already focused on the training day. But if there is actually a star next to it, everything works even better.”
Federer’s pizza campaign still resonates
The vast majority of people have to deal with a real double burden during the tournament days. “Some get up at six to go to school. They then arrive at the hall at 1 p.m. and are assigned to the first team – this often applies to the youngest. Others don’t arrive until 5:30 PM, but then stay until the end, when the last match is over around midnight. Anyone who is already an apprentice must take extra time off for the Swiss Indoors.
The ball children are rewarded with unforgettable experiences. “It’s great fun to be so close to the players,” says Jérôme (16), who was present at Federer’s last appearance (and victory) in 2019. It was the last time Federer’s ball kids were treated to the traditional pizza. “It was very nice,” Jérôme remembers, adding: “Maybe one day there will be a similar tradition again.”
Coach Kiener certainly wouldn’t stop her. She says: “Glittering children’s eyes are the most beautiful thing for me. If they are happy at the end of the week, I am too.”
Source : Blick
I’m Emma Jack, a news website author at 24 News Reporters. I have been in the industry for over five years and it has been an incredible journey so far. I specialize in sports reporting and am highly knowledgeable about the latest trends and developments in this field.
