The Australian Open next month will have one Hyderabadi on the court for sure.
M. Varshith Kumar Reddy, a 14-year-old student of St. John’s School (Neredmet), has been selected as a ball boy as part of an initiative of KIA Motors, official sponsors of the Grand Slam tennis tournament, in association with Mahesh Bhupathi Tennis Academy.
Interestingly, Telangana’s Varshith is the only one from south India to get this privilege along with nine others selected from a pool of 1,800-odd kids across four metro cities in the country.
“Even as I chase the dream of playing a Grand Slam one day, this one should be truly memorable,” he says. “After seeing the advertisement, I approached my mentor, Shiva sir (ITF official J. Shiva Kumar Reddy) and he encouraged me to try my luck,” he adds.
Gruelling training
The path was not easy. Varshith had to be trained in techniques, speed, endurance, agility, accuracy and court awareness which are the traits of ball kids.
He underwent training at Vasishta Tennis Academy here in the company of coach Dinesh. “I am fortunate to have Shiva sir as my mentor for he knows the rules and regulations of tennis tournaments having officiated in major events across the world,” Varshith says.
Tough audition
The Delhi audition, the teenager says, was the toughest as more than 600 kids participated in it. Of them, only 25 were shortlisted for the final round of trials. “It was a five-drill test in the first round of trial i.e., servicing technique for ball kid, on-court agility speed test time trial, short sprint time trial, viva voce with videography, vocabulary and confidence test, questions about tennis knowledge, rolling the ball with speed and consistency etc.,” says the young talent ranked No.3 in the State and 60th in India in the under-14 category.