Final Jewel in the Regional Crown

Teeside Comes to Life with Barclays Ball Kids

We are now at the end of an exciting three months of regional trials for Barclays Ball Kids as we search for thirty of the UK's top ball kids for the end of season spectacle, the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals at The O2 in November. For the first time, Sunderland held a regional trial and welcomed the final ball kid applicants of the year where nearly fifty excited kids took to the courts at the Wearside Health and Racquets Club.

With such an array of talent on show, the final pick of who to send through to the final trial in London was always going to be tricky. There were only a few places up for grabs and the coaches were hard pressed to make a decision with a hugely talented display of ball kid skills rushing before them. But with the final trial only a month away, their decision had to be the right one.

So, after much scratching of heads, the Barclays Ball Kids Talent ID Team chose just six lucky kids to make it through to the final hundred. These were Donia Abdel-Aziz (aged 11), Ben Emmerson (13), Rebeca Richardson (13), Fiona Kirtley Harrold (13), Henri Morland (12) and Mohamed Abdel-Aziz (13).

They displayed superb skills of on-court awareness and concentration and showed they had the obvious talents needed to be considered for the final squad of thirty. So these kids are now just one step from the dazzling lights of The O2. One step away from sharing air with the likes of Andy Murray, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

Henri Morland echoed the thoughts of all the kids taking part on the day:

“I would just love to be on the court and so close to all the professional tennis players with all the lights and atmosphere. We did a lot of fitness and the coaches were looking to see if you were aware of everything going on. I think they are looking for someone who is always concentrating and who is really alert and obviously with the fitness to keep you going. I would be amazed if I got through. I would love to go to The O2. I went to watch it last year and I would just love to be there on court!”

The ‘Sunderland Six’ have shown just a glimpse of what is expected throughout the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals and will now go head-to-head with ninety-six other hopefuls when they all meet on court at The Westway in London on April 28th. So it really is in their hands. But with only thirty spots available they really will have to be at their best if they want to be picked. So good luck to everyone that’s made it through and here’s to another exciting end to the Barclays Ball Kids trials for 2012.