What it’s like to be a ball kid at the BNP Paribas Open

Sure, tennis players are the main reason why people come to see matches, but often the real stars, and the ones who keep things running smoothly, are members of the ball crew.

You can spot them walking in unison on the Indian Wells Tennis Garden grounds, zipping across the court to catch stray tennis balls and even holding up a player’s umbrella during a break. If you find yourself mesmerized by their speedy action, you’re not the only one. Often times, they’re as endlessly entertaining to watch as the action during a match.

There are 328 ball crew members at the BNP Paribas Open this year, with teams consisting of around eight people, explained chairperson Herman Chin. Though they’re usually referred to as “ball kids,” the ages range from 13 to 35 this year.

“It’s a great experience,” Chin said, who has worked with the tournament for five years. He’s one of six chairs, and there are a total of 75 crew members working with the teams.

The BNP ball crew members come from all over the country, with about a third coming from out of state. Chin said they’re all required to play tennis so that they know when to move on and off the court. Registration opens in late August, he said, with priority given to those who are returning. Of the 328 ball crew members, about 150 are new.

Emilija Mateljan, 15, of San Diego has returned for her third year at tennis paradise. Of the many cool perks she enjoys, the one that got her most giddy, was her spiffy, navy Lululemon uniform and blue water bottle. However, crew members were only given one pair of socks, which certainly gets a little stinky after several hours on the court.

While she typically works a six-hour shift — which comes out to about three hours of actual on-court time — she was working a double on Thursday, March 5. After settling into the tennis gardens around 9:30 a.m., she received her instructions for her morning match between American Taylor Townsend and Czech Marie Bouzková.

“It’s always fun when there’s Americans because the atmosphere is loud,” Mateljan said. “And especially with the Brazilians. I had (Joao) Fonseca last night and they had all the Brazilians around the arena and it was super loud and it was really fun.”

The ball crew lines up and walks to their respective courts in unison — Mateljan and her team were headed to stadium 3 for the morning match. There are a number of rules they need to follow: They can’t talk to people on the grounds as they’re heading to their assignment, they can’t take photos in uniform and there’s absolutely no reacting to any points on the court. That last one can be tough — she said she witnessed “the best point ever” last year and had to work so hard to contain her excitement.

Mateljan begins her court duties by kneeling by the end of the net, retrieving any balls that hit it and sending them down the court to her peers. Some games are quicker than others, like if there’s an ace or double fault during serves, while others consist of seemingly never-ending volleys. Either way, the teen, and the rest of her ball crew pals, are locked in, rarely showing signs of fatigue even with the sun beaming down on them.

She changes her position on the court during every change-over, which occurs after odd-numbered games. Her favorite tasks include holding up umbrellas for the players or working the net, “but only at night because it’s hot during the day,” she said.

After about an hour into Townsend and Bouzková’s match — with the American leading the first set — Mateljan’s crew switches out with another and she’s given her first break of the day, which she celebrates with an acai bowl from Oakberry.

Getting a front row seat to tennis action has shown Mateljan that each player has their own playing style, which she finds “really interesting.” Even more than that, being a ball kid has been eye-opening when it comes to working and interacting with people from all over the country.

“Every year I met new people, but I always run into people that I’ve seen before,” she said. “We’re in contact for like a week after the BNP, and then we all lose contact and then we show up here like ‘Oh, hey, how are you?'”

When asked what have been the most surprising aspects of being a ball kid, Mateljan said many people think the job is easy, “but you’re really having to think not even just one step ahead but three steps ahead to really focus on what you’re doing.” She added that battling the heat can be a challenge, especially when the court is about 10 to 30 degrees hotter. But what has surprised her the most is how warm and inviting the experience has been during her three years.

“Everyone meets each other, everyone’s so friendly, and it’s such a fun experience to have, especially growing up,” the teen said.

Mateljan doesn’t have her eyes set on the pros at the moment, but she does hope to continue playing tennis in college, preferably somewhere in California. She also plans to return to her ball crew duties next year before her high school classes get too hectic.

Ema Sasic covers entertainment and health in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at ema.sasic@desertsun.com or on Twitter @ema_sasic.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: What it’s like to be a ball kid at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells