Tennis Ball Boys Also Girls

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Photo credit: online pic.

Canada is lukewarm today because of U.S. Open results. Felix Auger-Aliassime from Quebec lost to Jack Draper from Britain. It is what the sport calls ‘a major upset’ and Felix knows what it means. He has upset more than five top tennis players in his young career.

That dampened my spirits a bit. That is why I’m in a pensive mood about all things tennis, including tennis ball boys. Oops! Sorry! They were all boys initially, because girls were still playing ‘having tea’ with tea sets parents and relatives bought them.

Dolls with long yellow hair were also popular gifts. Girls brushed it and adorned it with little ribbons, dreaming of prince charming. It was sad seeing kids in Africa and Asia with the brush. African American writers published many books about the mental damage.

Girls as young as ten also painted their nails, waiting for prince charming to court them while tennis ball boys picked up balls in Centre Court at Wimbledon and carefully threw them back at legendary tennis players.

Tennis tournaments have grown up. They have both boys and girls as ball attendants. Hopefully girls will pick the balls and dream of being Coco Gauff, Emma Raducana, Leylah Fernandez or Zhang Shuai.

By: Nonqaba waka Msimang.

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