‘No Ball Kids Available?’- Naomi Osaka Sends Tennis Fans Into a Frenzy in Awkward Moment at WTA Libéma Open

It’s not easy being a ball kid on the tennis court, but being a ball ‘boy‘ is even tougher! Their role in the game is definitely very important and in fact, it’s also pretty much prestigious to serve some of the world’s best tennis stars. In the tennis world, fans are used to seeing small kids and teenagers retrieving balls for the likes of Naomi Osaka, Novak Djokovic, and Rafael Nadal. But what if they are told to hold hands with a ‘grown man‘?

Yes, a similar thing happened during a recent match involving the Japanese tennis star, Naomi Osaka. She managed to advance to her second QF of the 2024 season and her first on grass courts since 2018 after a second-round victory against the Netherlands, Suzan Lamens at the Libema Open. However, a weird moment took away all the limelight from her emphatic triumph! Osaka was spotted entering the court holding hands with a ‘grown man‘ during her second-round match. Fans, later on, came out in numbers to give their reactions to this on social media.

However, the Japanese tennis star didn’t look to pay any heed to that stuff before her match. She was fully focused on bringing out her A-game against the Dutch tennis player. Naomi Osaka defeated Lamens comfortably by 6-2,6-2 in just 54 minutes and she said she is quite “grateful” to be back on grass courts.

“I definitely do feel more relaxed. I feel more calm with the plan I have and just really grateful to be back,” Naomi Osaka. She revealed the key to her god form was to be “more comfortable returning and accepting mistakes as they come.” The former world number one is currently ranked 125th in the world. And she has a win-loss record of 15-10 this season. She’ll definitely be looking forward to improving her numbers before starting her campaign at the 2024 Wimbledon Championships. However, this weird incident at the S-Hertogenbosch has drawn a wide range of reactions from the tennis fans.

Tennis fans were baffled seeing Naomi Osaka holding hands with a tall lad while entering the court at the Libema Open

The average age of ball kids in Wimbledon is 15 years. While it’s 12-15 for the AO and 12-16 for the French Open. In the US Open, although the average age of ball kids is supposed to be around 14 to 18 years of age, at times there have been a few exceptional cases. However, to see Naomi Osaka holding hands with a ‘grown man‘, makes a fan say, “I’ve always wondered why they make them hold hands with the person they walk out with. I feel like it’d be fine if they just walk side by side lol.”

On the other hand, contrary to common belief, in the US Open there have been instances when we’ve witnessed them having no upper age limit to become a ball person. They simply give chances to those who are young at heart and agile in their movements. However, repeating a similar tradition received at the Libema Open drew flak from the tennis world. A fan asked, “They had to hold hands with a grown man too?“

Some of them felt both Naomi Osaka and that young lad perhaps felt a bit “uncomfortable” in following the year-old tradition. Others stated, “I can’t stop laughing at this especially knowing how awkward Naomi is.“

Another fan recalled the incident of the ‘Carlitos Effect‘, i.e. the moment when a ball kid gave an adorable yet so hilarious reaction after seeing Carlos Alcaraz walk past him. The fan gave a hilarious reaction to the Naomi Osaka incident, he wrote, “School break over? No ball kids available? At least he wasn’t giving Naomi that total adoration look like the kid did to Carlos..that would be more creepy.“

Ball kids holding hands with tennis players while entering the courts is an adorable moment. However, some of the fans call it a bit “weird” seeing a teenager doing the same! “It’s cute when it’s a little kid but decidedly weird when it’s a teenager,” said the other. Fans looked quite surprised by this idea, their reactions speak their minds. Share what are your thoughts on this incident in the comments section.