WENDELL HUSSEY | Cadet | CONTACT

Down in the cosmopolitan city of Melbourne young ball kid, Ben Hunt is feeling the heat.

Not because it’s 43 degrees down there right now, but because the 13-year-old on the trip of a lifetime is under pressure.

After nearly a month of living it up as a ball kid for the Australian Open tennis tournament, the young volunteer is coming to the end of his stay.

While he says it’s been a hell of a ride, he’ll walk away feeling empty if doesn’t manage to pull off what every single other ball kid has so far.

A screamer of a catch.

“Yeah, I’m the only one who hasn’t nailed a classic catch,” he sighed to us.

“Everyone else has heard the crowd roar after picking one out of the air, or even just taken one down near the laces of an errant return of serve.”

“But not me,” said the young fella from Orange who does want to head home empty-handed.

“I nearly grabbed one of a Kyrgios serve, imagine that? Everyone would have gone off. Would have put it straight up onto to TikTok.”

“Anyway, I’ve been practising around the clock to try and get one before time runs out. Maybe I’ll try and get in touch with Shane Keith Warne. Dad said he was a really good slip fielder.”

“Dad always goes on about Warnie.”