she wasn’t playing. However, she played a key role throughout the tournament.

A tennis player and sports fan since she was five years old, Durb had to flip the opening coin before the women’s title match between Jelena Ryvakina and Alina Sabalenka.

She received the honor as part of her reward for winning Ball Girl of the Year at the tournament. Voted as a girl.

“It was an honor. I was really happy,” he said.

In the early spring of 2022, the opportunity came when her family first thought of getting her involved.

I play tennis with my family. Her sister, Faith Darb, was a star of her tennis her player for the Coconino Panthers during high school. Almost every Durb family picks up a racket at least once in a while.

Grace will be celebrating her 13th birthday in 2022 and didn’t want to throw a party. She wanted to go see her BNP Paribas her opening with her family. Grace’s mother, Christie Durb, was perusing the tournament’s website and she noticed that a 13-year-old was the youngest child to be part of a volunteer ball team.

A few weeks later, Grace was at a training session in California. She learned the basics such as when to give the ball to professional players and when to move to specific spots on the court. After that, she wears the official gear of the tournament and plays an active part in the tournament.

“I get pretty nervous on my first day on the court.

Tournaments are hard on players, but crews have a lot to do too. Standing outdoors for hours in the hot California sun. They need to pay attention to every stroke and movement. This is necessary not only to expedite the process and avoid a few divas his players yelling at them, but also for their own safety.

Grace said she has to stay away from massive serves that come at her directly during matches. She also almost ran into Stan Wawrinka, one of the world’s top singles players, during the changeover.

“But he was so nice, so that was good,” Christie said with a laugh. “And he even took out his own trash. Not everyone does that.”

Grace said her experience in 2022 was rewarding, and she volunteered again this year.

Many of the crew, including ball kids and ushers, are regulars. Some have been volunteering for over 10 years. That made it even more special to win the award as a second year crew member.

More importantly, Christy has been close to some of the best professional tennis players on the planet, watched their practice and game habits, and was impressed with the lessons her daughter learned. Some were great role models, others were examples of what not to do on the court, such as a player who was abusive and broke his racket in frustration. Grace also learned lessons by watching the behavior of those around her, including TV crews and event staff.

“Our hope was not just that she would enjoy it, but to see how hard it was to play at that high level and get a better sense of the game,” Christie said. “We wanted to teach kids that sports aren’t just about people playing. We want them to be balanced.”

Grace, who now watches tennis on TV at home, has stories of watching and interacting with many of the players from just a few feet away. She also spends her time critiquing ball crews at various tournaments.

From her point of view on the court, she can offer comments like “They did it wrong” or “He shouldn’t have been there.”

Grace also gained a new appreciation for the sport and all that it takes to be a great player.

“I feel like I can crush the ball after that,” she said. But you can see how hard they work and how much time they put in. “

It’s unclear if Grace will still be a ball girl next year. Her spring season may not allow her two weeks away from the team.

Whether or not Grace returns to Indian Wells, she has many memories that will lead to her future tennis success. She also got a commemorative coin for her women’s final as a memento of hers.