After years of hard work and determination, Ivanov said she was overcome with joy when she found out she had been selected to be a ball person for the U.S. Open. "When I found out I got in, I went to my parents, jumping up and down. I was so excited," she told Brooklyn Paper. "It's an opportunity to watch these high-level tennis players and the matches up close. It's like a front-row seat ticket, but you can also help. It's really cool."
Each student was selected and trained by New York Junior Tennis and Learning, an organization dedicated to enriching the lives of underserved youth through rigorous athletic training and sports education.
Ball people serve a "vital" role at the U.S. Open and other tennis tournaments. Often seen crouched by the net or waiting behind the court, they're responsible for grabbing rogue balls, distributing balls to the players, and making games flow smooth and uninterrupted.
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