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For the best view at the US Open, join the ball crew
By
Walter Wuthmann
Published Apr 7, 2026
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Manuela Davies/USTA
By
Walter Wuthmann
Published Apr 7, 2026
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Luxury suites for this summer’s U.S. Open tennis championship can cost over $100,000.
But a spot on the court where you might get pelted by Coco Gauff or Carlos Alcaraz’s flying drops of sweat? For that, you’ll get paid $19 an hour.
At every professional tennis match, there’s a group of six people who stand along the sides ready to supply players with fresh balls and retrieve stray ones from the court. This team is called the ball crew, and applications to join this year’s U.S. Open crew are now live.
Tournament organizers said they are still looking for 100 people to join the team and don those iconic multicolored Polo Ralph Lauren outfits.
“ It really is the coolest summer job that someone could have,” said U.S. Open Ball Crew Director Neal Kitson. “ The ball crew, they feed off the energy of the crowd, the spectators, as well as the players. They're all part of the competition.”
Kitson said they favor candidates with some kind of tennis background, but deep knowledge of the sport isn’t essential.
The online application has some basic tennis trivia questions, like “How many Grand Slam tournaments are played each year” and “What is the term for a score of 40-40?”
(Answers: 4; Deuce. Don’t say we told you.)
Those who pass the initial application are asked to attend an in-person tryout in June where they hit the courts at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens.
“ During the trial process, we're looking at their agility, their speed, their hand-eye coordination, their urgency on court,” Kitson said.
Kitson said the youngest crew members are 14 and the oldest in their late 40s.
One important skill is rolling the tennis ball along the ground. You’ve probably seen this on TV: ball crew members quickly gather stray balls and roll them 40 feet down the court, straight and fast as laser beams.
“ Think of it like bowling,” Kitson said. “You want to get down and low, so that you're releasing it close enough to the ground where it's a nice, smooth roll.” Kitson said they’ll teach applicants proper form, but it doesn’t hurt for those interested to start practicing at home.
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tennis
Walter Wuthmann
Walter Wuthmann is a reporter covering public safety and the legal system.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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