Final in Beijing, Djokovic against de Minaur. He’s after a 102nd title, having beaten Zverev and Medvedev. And in the middle of the match, he asks the ball kids to speed up so he can serve. I understand the pattern. When you’re in your zone, every second without a ball is an intention going cold.
Nicolas Mahut, on Eurosport, didn’t like it. He said he’d like Djokovic “to speak to the ball kids a bit more nicely”, and that watching the footage back, he would think “that’s a bit aggressive at times”. He also said: “It also means he’s fully involved in his match.”
My problem comes earlier. I don’t have ball kids. On court 4, my balls go into the fence on the car park side, and I’m the one who fetches them, towel over my shoulder. My doubles partner picks them up too, once she’s finished her message on her phone. If I asked her to speed up, I already know the tone: she’d hand me back the ball, and her spot for Sunday.
So yes, one should speak nicely. I’ll note it in my folder, under “for the day I have ball kids”. Not a very full section.
But the involvement Mahut talks about, I have it. Tuesday evening, I ran to the clubhouse bar myself to fetch a ball. Not every time, but I make it.
Two practice sessions away, mind you, I’d have ball kids to speak politely to.
It’s true, we checked: We Love Tennis.
