A video of ball kids cleaning the court by hand at the Australian Open sparked uproar on social media. The video shows a row of ball kids on their hands and knees hand-drying a court after rain halted the first set of the Elena Rybakina-Jelena Ostapenko women’s quarterfinal on Tuesday.
According to Newshub, the puddles had blanketed the court, and authorities indicated it would take several minutes to seal the roof at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne. As a result, the authorities enlisted the help of ball kids to wipe the floor with towels.
The internet is stunned after seeing a video of Australian Open Ball Kids drying the court by hand.
After an unexpected downpour, the kids used towels to wipe the floor.
The video startled social media users, with many responding in shock.
“When there was a significant probability of rain, unpaid ball kids mopped a damp court with towels. Just “One user tweeted.
“If you work in sports technology or are creative, there must be a better and more effective way to dry a tennis court. I mean, this is ludicrous in 2023 “Shane McInnes, a presenter and sports commentator, announced the news on Twitter.
“This has to be discussed and addressed. It’s horrible to watch this in front of a live audience; a better solution is required “One fan who was there at the game tweeted about it.
According to news.com.au, around 2,500 children apply to be ball kids each year, with less than one in every five being successful.
Those that make the cut must labor in Melbourne’s harsh and unpredictable weather conditions, particularly in January. The US Open pays ball kids $15 per hour, whereas Wimbledon pays a flat fee of $351 per week, according to the publication