Nancy Zhang speaks about her experiences as a ball crew member for the US Open and how she prepared for tryouts with no prior tennis experience.
The US Open 2026 is well underway, with Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz set to return to the tournament for the mixed doubles this year. Alcaraz is the current favourite in the US Open betting.
While the tournament is exciting and nerve-wracking for those competing at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre in Queens, New York, according to Nancy Zhang, it is just as tense and exhilarating for the ball crew – and she says there is no better place to be.
Speaking in an interview with Betway, the former ball girl, 31, speaks about her experience of being a ball girl back in 2023. She says that while many apply for the opportunity as big tennis fans, Nancy was new to the sport when she applied – after deciding to try tennis as a new hobby when she moved to New York.
Nancy opens up about the application process and being up against young athletes for the role, as she confesses she decided to go bowling to practice before the intense tryouts.
The former data scientist also shares what it was like to work alongside US stars Ben Shelton and Taylor Townsend, the fitness routine she adopted to prepare for the tournament, and what exactly happens when you make a mistake – including the one thing you’re told not to do during a match.
How long ago were you working as a ball girl for the US Open?
I did it for the summer of 2023. Many people do it for multiple summers, but the timings didn’t work out for me to do it the year after. I would love to do it again.
What was the biggest thing you learnt from your time during the tournament?
Yes, it was physically demanding; you’re 90 minutes on, 90 minutes off. But what I didn’t expect was how mentally draining it was. It was very challenging because you have to be so alert and aware for all of the time that you’re on. It was a challenge; it was something completely new and exciting, and I loved it, but it definitely takes some adjusting to. You also just learn so much about tennis that you wouldn’t know.
What things did you learn about tennis that fans never see on TV?
The speed of the ball the players played at was crazy. You’re trying to track the ball the whole time you’re on the court. Sometimes it’s hard to see where it is, where it’s gone – so you have to rely on other things like sound. You can hear the ball better sometimes than seeing it because they whip it so fast. I also developed preferences. When you’re in a men’s match, the men have such powerful serves. There are two positions as a ball girl. There are either two of you at the net (either side), or there will be four of you in the corners of the court. If you’re working a men’s match and you’re at the back of the court, you’re going to see a lot of action, because a lot of the points are ending there. You’re going to be running for the ball a lot and passing it back quickly. But when I was working on a women’s match, often the net would be the busiest spot, because a lot of the points would finish at the net. That was interesting and something I wouldn’t have known if I was just spectating. It got to a point where you could almost predict a busy match.
What was the application process like?
My route into it was a little different. The summer before I moved to New York, I wanted to pick up a new hobby and meet new people. I lived right next to some tennis courts, and I thought I would give it a go. I had my eye out to become a ball girl as a way of learning tennis, and I thought what better way to learn the sport.
I was so shocked when I was asked to try out after I applied. I’m not a lifelong tennis fan, and most people who go for it are. It was all completely new to me. There was a tennis quiz to make sure you knew some of the basic information and rules of the game, but I revised the rules in a sort of manual beforehand. It wasn’t very complicated at all, but you did have to get every question right because of the volume of applicants. In my application, I spoke about the sports I do, so I spoke about running and Pilates. The key part was availability. A lot of people who are in college do it when they’re on summer break. I was working as a data scientist at the time. I think I also just got lucky! I was available when they needed me.
How hard were the tryouts?
I had prepared a lot for the tryouts because I was so nervous! It was only one chance. You come at your scheduled time, and everyone is split up on different courts, and one staff member is judging every court. It would be around 10 of you trying out at once, and you will be rotating on the court. You could be catching a ball, rolling a ball, serving or bouncing a ball back. I had done extensive research and watched every video on the internet about ball crew tryouts. I practiced rolling tennis balls every day. I even went bowling because it’s very similar to a rolling technique. Luckily, I didn’t actually need tennis skills!
Did you think you would be accepted into the crew?
I was trying to work it out based on my chances. I figured if I was in the top two or three of my small group of ten, I would have a good chance at getting through. They’re looking at 10 people at once; they won’t be looking at you all of the time. You gradually get a sense of who is standing out. I wanted to have a good vibe, be energetic, and think really fast on my feet. I didn’t leave thinking, ‘I’m in.’ I left feeling as though I didn’t mess anything up. I didn’t drop any balls. I did everything accurately. I was also one of the two adults trying out. The other adult was a man working in finance but had been a tennis fan all of his life. The majority of the rest of those who were trying out were younger.
Were you nervous beforehand?
Yeah, I was. I was never really sporty growing up, and it was all very new to me in my adult life. It was a bit intimidating when younger athletes were trying out.
What is the secret hand signal for a ball change?
There’s not a specific signal. There would be six of you on the court during a match, and someone would naturally step into the leadership role among you who would coordinate the change. At certain points, the ref can call for a ball change. But usually there is someone who has done it before or has worked many years on the ball crew to step in. You basically just figure it out at the time.
What was the hardest rule or core skill to master?
I think the hardest thing was keeping up with the pace during a tiebreaker and the change of service. I think because I was new to it, and it was quite challenging keeping on top of all the rules. It’s so fast and so much to remember and to keep track of. It’s also quite hard keeping track of who is who in the game when you’re looking at the scoreboard. As I’m new, I hadn’t heard of some names before; I was constantly saying, ‘What’s her name?’ I would often have to keep track based on the colour of their shirt. I would go, ‘Ok, the red shirt now has a point.’ That was the mental dialogue and part of why it was mentally exhausting because you’re figuring out what happens when player one scores a point and what that means for the rest of the game, and what you need to be doing. Thinking about that for every single point for 90 minutes is tough!
How did you deal with the physical fatigue during long shifts on court?
There was obviously a lot of adrenaline going on. I’d be constantly saying, ‘You’re so close to the players and to the ball.’ You don’t have a choice but to lock in, and the adrenaline keeps you going because it is so exciting. There were certain hacks I did to keep myself physically comfortable so I could be more mentally engaged. On the days when it was really hot, I would place an ice cube in my sports bra so the lining would hold it, but it would gradually melt. It would just provide a bit of cool when I needed it. Also, nobody can tell because everyone is so hot and sweating. But that kept me comfortable, and I could mentally focus.
How do you adjust your bounce for different player heights?
It’s not just height; it’s also the distance you are from that player that you have to adjust to. It was a bit of a learning curve, which is why I was practicing so much before tryouts. After the ball bounces, you want it to be at that player’s waist level, and within their tennis racket range of catching it. That was a lot of practice and also muscle memory. It gets easier over time. You also learn that some players prefer to be further away from you in order to catch it. You have to just judge it, use your knowledge and go for it. Sometimes, a player will just come to you, hold out their racquet and take the ball themselves. Everyone has a different preference.
Who was the most famous player you served, and were they polite to the ball crew?
I worked a doubles match with Ben Shelton and Taylor Townsend. It was amazing. It was quite intense because Ben’s serves were so powerful and so fast. He was really lovely. All the players are.
Was there anyone that came across as rude?
Absolutely not, no. Sometimes they can be a bit reserved because they’re in the zone and need to focus. But no one ever came across as rude or arrogant towards the ball crew.
Does the atmosphere on the pitch change when a star player is on the court?
Definitely. There are so many more eyes on the court and on you. The first qualifying week, and in the stands there might not be many people, so you can really see the difference when there is a big player competing. I remember when Ben and Taylor were playing, it was heavily populated, and I did find myself going, ‘OK, wow, this is a different experience!’ I was running faster; I was making sure my braids were looking good, too. You’re definitely aware of it.
Did you get to get a picture with them afterwards?
You’re not allowed to. After the match finishes, you’re not allowed to fangirl over them. You have to stand in the court until it’s all finished. At least at the matches, you have to keep things as professional as you can. But the ball crew’s dressing room is in the same section of the building as theirs. I have heard other ball crew members passing them in the hallway, going up to them and saying hi to them. You can engage with them, just not while you’re working.
What was the most stressful moment you faced during a live match or tie-break?
I can’t remember who was playing, but it was definitely through a tie-break. It was coming to the last point, and it was a long match. If it’s a match point, the ball crew can’t move. You don’t go for the ball; you let it land where it lands. It adds a nice effect. I remember being really stressed about losing track of whose point it is. It’s just a lot to think about in that tense moment. Another time, I made a mistake because I moved too soon and the point had fully ended.
What happens when you make a mistake?
I don’t think you would get pulled to the side then and there. Luckily, I didn’t mess up too badly, but in my case they just let you know afterwards so you can learn from it. I didn’t witness anything catastrophic. The first qualifying week is also our training week. So the staff and coaches are watching you a lot, and they would come up to you with feedback, with tips and ways to improve. You all have an online profile, and you would see any comments on your performance.
Do you remember what comments you had?
One comment I had was to stop walking in front of the sponsorship signs, as I was standing too close to the JP Morgan banner. So that was something I had to consider when walking across the court the next time. Most of the comments would be something like, ‘Roll the ball smoother.’ Or telling you to be more proactive on the court – that would be a popular one.
What are the changing rooms really like behind the scenes?
I didn’t really know what to expect. It was really lovely. It was a large room and chill-out areas. People were either eating or taking their break. In my case, I was working when I could, so I was on my laptop, getting emails done.
How did the shifts work? Did you have breaks?
There were three different shifts you would be given. In the day, there were three different shifts. One in the morning, one in the afternoon and a late shift. I was often on the afternoon shift, but you would have a veteran on the later shifts. On the afternoon shift, you have time to wake up, do some work, in my case, and you would start around 11am. So you have time to do what you need to do before the shift. I would probably be home by 7 in the evening.
Within any shift, you’re 90 minutes on, 90 minutes off. So, you’ll know your shift time, and you also have breaks within that. We also have screens in the changing room, so you can watch what’s going on on each court. A lot of people are just watching anyway.
As you were working your job at the same time, how did you manage both? Was it tricky balancing both?
I was a data scientist at the time. It was very technical and mainly computer work. The role didn’t require a lot of meetings. It was very much individual projects that I could work on. It was exhausting, though, managing both. I think because I knew I had this opportunity coming up, I was able to plan accordingly for it a month ahead. I just made sure I could wrap things up beforehand and get organised. It was a three-week commitment in the summer. I just kept saying, it’s not forever, and it would be a great experience. I just tried to schedule all my meetings for the mornings or when I wasn’t on shift.
Did you prepare for your time as a ball girl? Did you exercise more or go on a diet?
I was always into running as a hobby, but ahead of this, I practiced shorter sprints instead of longer runs because you’re never running a long distance when you’re on the court. It was more about starting and stopping really quickly, picking up the ball, and changing direction. I worked a lot on sprinting and ankle mobility. I also did a lot of Pilates, and specifically focused on lunging. That was a motion you had to do a lot of. I focused on movements that could help me stop, pick up the ball and move fast.
Were injuries common? What happens if someone can’t work?
When a ball crew member isn’t feeling well, say, you just wait for the next break, and someone can replace them. Every day there will be people who are reserves who will be called in if someone gets injured. Even if you weren’t on schedule for that day, you could still be called in as a backup. If that happened, you would have to show up, sit in the break room, and just wait to be called on.
Did you get to keep any kit or equipment from the tournament?
We got to keep our uniforms. You’re given three of them so you can wear them throughout the week. I wear the socks I had all the time. I think they’re so cute. I also kept the shoes; you were also given a backpack and a water bottle – I lost it though! And I was so sad about it.
The clothing was tricky during the tournament itself. You have three sets to wear, but living in New York, I didn’t have my own washing machine, and that is pretty common in NYC. So for days where I had shifts five days in a row, you obviously run out of the correct uniform to wear. And the socks were disgusting after that! So, I had to wash my outfit in the shower at the end of the day and would take them in the shower with me and wash them there. I would just hang them to dry, so I could wear them the next day. I had to do that every night. That was quite exhausting, actually! So, I did say I couldn’t do that again unless I got a washing machine. It’s quite common in New York, and I could have had one, but I was living on my own at the time and didn’t have the budget for a place with one.
Would you ever do it again?
I definitely would do it again. I don’t know when the right time would be to devote time to it again.
If you’ve already done it before but wanted to return, what is the process of returning?
I think they welcome you back to try again. I don’t know whether you have to try out again if you’ve already done it before. I also wouldn’t rule out doing a different tournament; that could be fun. I’d love to do the Indian Wells Open one day, especially as I’m planning on moving out to California.
Would you recommend going for a role like this?
Absolutely. If you are a big tennis fan, there’s no better seat to experience the US Open. I’d encourage anyone to try it. I was over the moon when I got it, and it was genuinely such a cool thing to do. I felt very lucky. Although I wasn’t a big tennis fan myself, I learnt so much from it. I’ve been back to watch the US Open as a spectator, and I had such FOMO. I missed being so close to everything. It was so much fun being on the court. The biggest thing I missed was hearing the whoosh of the ball. You can hear it so clearly when it passes you; it’s such a cool thing to experience. You wouldn’t have that sensation if you weren’t that close.
Have you met any celebrities during your time there? If so, who?
There was a basketball player that once came through, and everyone went crazy – but I didn’t have a clue who he was. Everyone was so excited when he came through the locker room; he said hi to everyone and took pictures. I was excited by everyone’s excitement!
How are the celebrities escorted through the grounds?
We always used the employees’ entrance. I know there is a photo drop for any of the celebrities so they can have their pictures taken. There was a completely different area for anyone high profile on the other side of the site.
Do you think any of the celebrity attendees distract from the game itself?
I think most people are very good at staying quiet and being respectful of the match. From the ball crew perspective, if you ever see someone famous, it’s obviously cool, but you’re told not to stare and to just do your job. Also, if you’re working a big match and there are cameras on you, you’re told not to look at yourself if you’re being shown on the screen. Because sometimes the camera will pan to you and you’ll be like, ‘Oh, it’s me!’ But you’re told to be cool, concentrate on what you’re doing, and to not get distracted by that.
