When Laver Cup returns to London's O2 Arena in late September 2026, the action on court will grab most of the headlines. But a quietly impressive selection process is already underway to determine who will keep that court running smoothly, the ball kids.
Tennis365 was granted access to one of the trial sessions held at the Lawn Tennis Association's headquarters in west London, offering a rare look at what it takes to earn one of these coveted roles. Any young person aged 12 to 16 as of September 25, 2026 was eligible to apply, with sessions limited to 200 candidates per trial and a team of qualified tennis professionals running each evaluation.
Assessors focused on six core qualities: agility, coordination, balance, speed, endurance, and teamwork. Candidates worked through a series of demanding drills, including rolling balls through targets and showcasing hand-to-eye coordination under pressure. The standout final drill required participants to roll a ball cleanly across the hard court surface, ensuring it skimmed the ground at pace without bouncing before reaching its target. Simple in concept, surprisingly difficult in execution.
From each session, evaluators selected the top 18 performers, split evenly between nine boys and nine girls, to join the official Laver Cup London ball kid team.
The numbers highlight just how exclusive these opportunities are. Wimbledon, tennis's biggest annual showcase, selects roughly 280 ball kids from around 1,400 applicants each year. The average age there is just 15, with the strongest performers reserved for Centre Court's biggest matches.
For many of the Laver Cup hopefuls in west London, this was their first-ever trial experience, making the competitive standards on display all the more impressive.
TennisDraw users mapping out their Laver Cup bracket picks will be watching closely when the tournament tips off this autumn.
