- Oh (bleep).
(Bleep, bleep, bleep).
(energetic music)
We're here at Arthur Ashe stadium,
and we're about to become ball people.
- Close to 500 individuals try out
to be a US Open ballperson.
We've taken a hundred new rookies.
- Oh, I'm gonna let my team tell you about their stories.
- To be that close to players, I mean,
it's the best seat in the house.
Obviously, Serena's a big server,
and she hit this incredible ace out wide,
and I caught it,
and the whole crowd just kinda went crazy.
They're, like, you know, clapping.
- I'm the youngest ballboy that's ever
tried out at the US Open at seven years old.
Went to the tryout, showcased that I can run and throw,
and the rest is history.
- I'm always so amazed by the ballpeople,
'cause there's such an etiquette to what they do.
They're so professional.
They, like, run, run, run, run, run,
grab the ball, run, run, run, run, run.
- It would be so cool to be out there,
with everyone watching you.
Well, no, not you, but, like, you'd be behind them.
- I used to work at a tennis club,
and I definitely wanted to impress them.
I'm forty, and Kramer, Seinfeld references
will probably get thrown out there.
- I may be old, but I'm spry.
- I'm pretty confident about this.
- I think I can do the standing part,
but everything else, I'm just like
kinda dreading.
- The things that our evaluators are looking for
when they're doing the tryout is
focus for the individual, - No!
- How good their throwing arms are,
- Oh, that was bad.
- How well they run,
if they're agile, fast,
- People always think that the exercise is the hard part,
but I think the hardest part is just
standing still when you're not moving.
- You gotta struggle through it if you're on camera.
- How fit are you?
- Cathie's tough.
- So you have to have a good arm?
If you're in the back? - Yeah.
- What's most important if you're at the net?
- Speed and agility and
we usually ask for two hands.
- Two handed pickups.
- Right. - Okay, okay.
- [Sarah] Regina, are you nervous?
- Yes. I'm so nervous.
- [Sarah] It's happening. - I can't even touch my toes.
- [Sarah] What about you, Dorsey?
- Nervous? No.
- Two hands. Oops.
Sorry.
- [Regina] That was good. - I'm already tired.
- [Regina] I'm very impressed.
This is the one.
(laughs)
- Was I doing that?
- [Sarah] Dorsey's really good.
Dorsey's a teacher's pet, I swear to God.
- You get to him, you stand next to him
and pass the ball behind your back to him.
- [Sarah] Behind the back, okay.
- [Cathie] Pass it to him.
Not in front of him!
What was that?
- I don't-- - [Cathie] Okay, get out.
Keep going. Keep going!
Keep going!
- [Sarah] He's earning it.
- There are really, I don't have any words right now.
- Dorsey did a really good job,
but he also got to watch us mess up first, so.
I'm just saying.
- I'm a quick study.
- Alright, Justin, come on over.
I need someone to throw.
(upbeat electronic music)
- I'm not throwing it far enough.
How are we doing so far, I guess?
- Well, I have to write my--
- Okay, we'll give you space.
It was, like, the etiquette that was tripping me up.
- Can't believe I ran with my hands behind my back.
- I wanna see what that looked like in slow motion.
- Like if a porpoise got on a tennis court
and was just like (laughs).
Dorsey knows he was doing good.
He's smiling.
- They'll be shots down the middle.
The two backs have to determine who goes for it.
- You got it? Sorry.
Then why did I say that?
I'm sorry.
- Closer to you, then just grab and go back.
If it's in the middle, you should both attempt to go,
but then whoever's closer should put their hand up.
(yells)
- She hates me.
(shoes scuffling)
- I guess there are some times when
the match just keeps going and going.
- I've come up with some evaluations for you three.
- Okay.
- Why don't we start with Sarah?
So we evaluate, we talk about your hands,
like, how you pick the balls up.
- Oh, okay, not like - Not, not the--
- How pretty they are?
- Not how the manicure looks, no.
- Okay, 'cause it's really bad.
- Oh, that's what I wrote.
(Sarah laughs)
So anyway, the speed for you was a little bit slow.
The footwork/agility was a little heavy footed.
- I took, like, a dance class in college, and the--
- You couldn't tell.
Your net court to throwing ability,
from the net to the back was pretty good.
Your throw was sort of a high fly.
It got as far as it could anyway.
Um, your hands on that were a little shaky with the grabs.
- Shaky with the grabs. - It's better than bad,
but shaky.
- Okay, bad, shaky, and then
- Average. - Average, okay.
- So, distance was a little short.
- Alright. - Court awareness
was okay.
Speed was good, footwork/agility was good.
From net to back was good.
In the back, though, your accuracy was okay.
Your throws were, um, in the high fly range.
Your distance was good,
uh, your hands were good,
and your court awareness was good.
On your speed,
- No! Yes, I did it.
Yes!
- They wrote "nonexistent." Okay.
- I thought we were friends.
- Footwork/agility was not applicable,
so it wasn't even there.
Your net to back court throwing ability
was basically negative.
Accuracy on the back was none.
Shotgun or high fly was neither.
Distance, there was none.
Hands, there were none.
Court awareness is none.
You're really not quite ready for this year.
You're a little tall for the nets, but,
and you have hair on your face,
you'd have to shave that off.
- I told ya, I'd do that.
- Mmkay.
So I would actually take you to a callback.
- Alright.
- And basically, you're not ready probably ever, so.
(laughs)
I've never seen you play tennis, but
- I've played. - After seeing
that performance, can't get any worse.
- Alright, bye guys.
It's been good.
- Brutal. - Bye, Regina.
- Bye. (laughs)
- Go start practicing your tennis.
- Being a ballperson looks much easier than it actually is.
- You also have to have, like, really good balance,
'cause you're running and then
you have to stand still all of a sudden.
- You have to be able to run fast, throw far,
and also just, like, the etiquette behind it is
very difficult.
- I had to laugh to make myself feel comfortable.
- I had one facial expression, and it was exhaustion.
Yeah, I got my eyes on the ballpeople now.
- Yeah. - Yeah.
- Ballpersons? You're the star of the show.
- You're the star of the show.
- This year. - Whoo!
- [Dorsey] I'll tell you what,
the next time I'm playing tennis,
I'll call you guys, and you can be the ballpersons
for my match. - For you playing tennis?
Great.
- You'd get plenty of practice.
'Cause I hit it in the net all the time.