The frame has arrived! Drawing will be held Monday October 3rd, 2011.
TO ENTER: Simply Tweet or Retweet a message that includes the hashtag “#USOpenBallHawk”
Frame comes equipped with lock so nobody can steal your most prized Polo. Feel free to wear the key around your neck….
Limited to the USA and Canada. #BallHawk reserves the right to modify rules as necessary and is not liable for anything.
Djokovic, Nadal, Federer and Murray. All Top Four Men’s Players. Last Grand Slam of the Season…can’t draw it up any better.
John Isner serving during the fourth set tie break.
Isner, who I’ve nicknamed Johnny Bulldog because of his penchant for the University of Georgia, is a 6-10 giant. He rocks a monster serve that’s arguably is the best in tennis. Him serving on a tennis court is like my dunking on a nerf hoop. However, the rest of his game is mediocre at best.
Gilles Simon, a skinny French dude who is the same build as I, is a crafty returner, covers the court and plays the angels really well. His downfall is that he yells at himself in French, takes himself mentally out of his game and is terrible at using his challenges.
Isner won the match 3 sets to 1. He stayed mentally strong in all the tie-breaks which proved to be the deciding factor.
There are 240 Ball Persons who made it to the Main Draw of the 2011 US Open. Of the 240, I estimate the breakdown to be:
The USTA needs a significant number of 18 and over Ball Persons due to NY State labors laws where minors cannot work over 8 hours/day and over 40 hours/week. This particularly comes into play when ever there are long matches into the late night and postponements (rain delays).
Of the 240, 165 are Veterans and 75 are Rookies. There are some Veterens who have been at the US Open for double digit years. Some have been around since the 70s. I know for sure one guy has been doing it for 22 years. Seniority is what gets one on the better courts/TV (Ashe, Louis Armstrong, Grandstand and the new Court 17)
Since this is my first year at the US Open, I’m obviously considered a Rookie. Given my elite talent, many consider my #BallHawking:2011 US Open::Micheal Jordan:1984-85 NBA Season. Prime-time athletes straight up raising their game to a new level.
Ballpersons waiting to be assigned a court
August 23 - 26th marks the days of the US Open qualifying round. This mini tournament, featuring both a Men’s and Women’s bracket, pits 128 singles player against one another for 8 spots into the Main Draw. The qualifying round, aka The Qualies, is also the last phase to test the remaining 84 rookie ball persons. 75 will make the final cut.
It’s next to impossible that I won’t be able to beat out 9 people for a spot in the Main Draw. Qualies turned out to be no issue for me. I came focused determined and dominated on all fronts. My performance was so magical mother earth gave me a round of applause with an earthquake on 8/23.
Hell yeah! I’ve been selected and am a 2011 US Open Ball Person.
Here’s the transcript from my fictitious press conference held earlier today on Arthur Ash Court in Flushing Medows, NY.
“I’d like to thank Mom, Dad, my sister and brother, friends, facebook friends, twitter followers etc. I couldn’t have done it with out each and every one of you. The USTA is an all around class act tasked with putting the best ball hawks out on the court….well done in selecting me.
To the other candidates, it was an honor sharing the hard court with you. The bond we formed while throwing optic yellow tennis balls at one another is something I’ll cherish.
With less than one month till the tournament, it’s time to take my training regime to the next level. I’m looking forward to the challenge and have high expectations for myself.
I will now take questions from the media.”
In case you missed the earlier posts on my quest, click to read part 1 and part 2.
As you may or may not know, I am trying out to be a US Open Ball person. Part 1 of my experience can be read here. After making the first cut, I was called back to take part in round 2.
On Tuesday, July 12th, I take the 7 train out to Flushing Meadows, determined to show everyone how to get after it on the blue courts. The weather is a complete 180 from the first round. At 90+ degrees, sunny and humid, it’s much more indicative of what the temps will actually be like come tourney time. I’m already sweating profusely as I walk by CitiField over to the Billie Jean National Tennis Center.
This time around, there’s no crowd. After checking in at the front desk, I head over to court 14. There are only 20 people waiting to try out. A hunch tells me the callbacks are broken up into smaller groups for a more focused evaluation process. I size up the competition and see that the heat is getting to them. Good thing their parent/guardian is there toting water bottles. I’m clearly the oldest candidate there, and … well…the most spry, naturally. (Note to self: next time, roll with a personal coaching staff and entourage for intimidation factor.)
The USTA staff takes to the court and provides some details. I find out the following:
Groups of 4 are then called up to run through a drill. It’s 10 minutes of sprinting, scooping up the ball and throwing. I manage to handle the net drills very well. My footwork is impeccable, borderline Federeresque. We then move on to the back position drill. I have a couple errant throws, but my overall performance is first rate.
After the drills, the 3 other candidates and I are interviewed in a group setting. We’re asked questions such as:
We’re then asked about our individual availability for the tournament and are thanked for coming out.
Overall, I’m pleased with my performance. I like my chances and am eagerly awaiting my self-addressed envelope to arrive with the weighty news. I will know in the next week or so and will share the results. Stay tuned.
Find out if I made the cut. Click here.
