With balls able to whizzing throughout the tennis courtroom at greater than 150 miles per hour, you’re in all probability paying rather more consideration to that motion than to the folks darting round choosing up the strays. However whereas working as a ball boy or ball woman could also be no star flip, it does have its perks—specifically, the sort of vantage level at main tournaments just like the US Open that in any other case carries a price ticket within the hundreds of {dollars}.

And that in all probability explains why a whole lot of followers flocked to the Billie Jean King Nationwide Tennis Middle in Queens earlier this summer season to vie for a spot on the US Open crew, as I noticed firsthand. When reps from the retailer Ralph Lauren, which designs the official uniforms, supplied SELF the prospect to attend a mock tryout, I’d jumped on the alternative, desperate to see if I had what it took. Whereas my session was only for media members, it included just about all the identical stuff most of the people would undergo of their occasion just a bit whereas later.

On a blistering Friday in late June, I Ubered to Arthur Ashe Stadium to expertise an hour within the lifetime of a US Open ball individual for myself. As I realized, that includes much more than merely eradicating internet balls: A ball individual really has a bunch of different duties, too, like passing balls to colleagues and servicing the gamers (extra on that in a bit). The overarching aim: Decrease disruption to play and guarantee a seamless transition between factors.

To be trustworthy, I wasn’t optimistic about my very own possibilities of making the reduce. Despite the fact that I performed tennis in highschool and attempt to keep pretty lively in my day-to-day life now that I can’t fall again on after-school observe, endurance has by no means been my robust swimsuit, and my once-solid eye-hand coordination has declined over time. I didn’t suppose I’d have the ability to run for practically 45 minutes straight, particularly not in 90-plus-degree warmth (or what felt prefer it). And while you strip away all of the little formalities, that’s just about 75% of the job description.

However I resolved to not write myself off too quickly. After I arrived on the stadium, I turned into a complimentary (and tremendous sharp) US Open ball woman uniform—a navy visor, color-blocked polo shirt, and navy skort—and headed out to the courts, grateful that the hat offered some safety from the beating solar. There, I met the opposite individual “making an attempt out:” none aside from Peloton biking and working teacher Matt Wilpers, whose spouse tagged alongside to seize footage.