Taranaki ball kids tune up for international tennis | Taranaki Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Taranaki

EIGHTEEN young Taranaki tennis players are about to get the experience of their lives as they don their courtside uniforms to become court attendants for the Davis Cup by BNP Paribas at the TSB Hub in Hawera this week.
The chosen eighteen come from tennis clubs throughout the province and they have been in training each Sunday for the past month getting familiar with the requirements of the job.
The training steps up a gear this week, with the Pro-am on Tuesday night and practice sessions with the New Zealand team; all building up to the July 9 start.
Team co-ordinator Andrew Bayliss of Tennis Taranaki says the kids are very excited to be a part of such an important event and have a hand in the smooth running of the Cup Tie.
“When these guys do their job right you hardly notice them on the court and that’s exactly what we aim for when the Umpire calls ‘play’,” Andrew says.
Ten of the kids are returning after being involved previously in New Plymouth in 2008 when New Zealand played China in the Group 2 Zone final of the Davis Cup; the other eight are first time attendants and all come from clubs in the Central and South Taranaki areas.
Andrew Bayliss says knowing the game is an advantage, but the basic skills required are good hand eye co-ordination and speed to get to the ball quickly and allow play to flow smoothly.
There are very strict protocols around what they are and aren’t allowed to do, including not talking to the players at any time.
They are under the control of the chair umpire from the time they take the court, which Andrew says is tough for him as team co-ordinator.
“From the sideline it’s a bit like being an expectant father not being able to do much to help when the match is underway. I can make the odd gesture to make sure they are prepared for certain things during play but that’s about it.”
Andrew says the most testing time is negotiating the regular ball changes that come after the first seven games and then every nine games thereafter; the court attendants need to be well-prepared and ready to go to ensure minimal disruption during this process. The tie break sets can also be challenging for the kids as the quicker change of serve can be complex and they really need their wits about them.
There are eight separate positions the attendants take up on the court and, while they all train to undertake each role, on the day they will only concentrate on one specific area.
The more experienced attendants will be placed alongside the net as this can be a demanding position to perfect.
Andrew says the kids are all committed to doing a thoroughly professional job and in their final training sessions this week will be watching video of the weekend’s Wimbledon matches; observing how their English equivalents handle the demands of the big event.
Rest-assured when they take up their positions on court at the TSB Hub in Hawera, July 9 (smartly attired in their Hugo Boss) uniforms they will be highly tuned for the demanding but exciting role they have to play in the Davis Cup by BNP Paribas tie.