A number of young tennis players from Queens are representing the borough on the US Open ball crew for the next three weeks as the famous tennis tournament returns to Flushing Meadows Corona Park.
A total of seven Queens-based members of non-profit New York Junior Tennis & Learning (NYJTL), the largest youth tennis non-profit in the US, have been selected as members of the ball crew for the ongoing tournament, which kicked off on Aug. 23 and runs until Sept. 13.
Several Queens locals are taking to the courts as members of the ball crew this week for US Open qualifying and are setting their sites on supporting some of the best players in the world when the tournament’s main draw kicks off on Sunday.
The experience marks one of the highlights of the year for tennis-crazy teens fortunate enough to have been selected, offering them an opportunity to work with some of the biggest names in the sport.
Kento Smith, a Briarwood resident representing NYJTL and Beacon High School who is returning for a third successive year, said working as a ball crew member is something that he looks forward to all year.
“It’s almost like a holiday,” Smith said. “It’s like when you’re excited about Christmas. I’m just really excited to witness these players on the court again.
“I used to go to the U.S. Open a lot with my mom,” he added. “I really wanted to be on court. I didn’t want to just be sitting. I wanted to really interact with the game and help facilitate things.”
Smith recalled a memorable occasion last year when he got the opportunity to ball-boy for two-time US Open champion Carlos Alcaraz.
“I watch him on television all the time and he’s just an amazing player,” Smith said. “I think that was definitely my highlight.”
Jayden Wong, a Bayside resident attending the Bronx High School of Science, has set his sights on working with Alcaraz at the 2026 US Open after the reigning champion announced his return to tennis following a four-month injury absence.
Wong, who has played tennis for ten year with both NYJTL and City Parks Foundation, did have the opportunity to work with world No. 1 Jannik Sinner at the 2025 US Open, which he described as a “surreal” experience.
“It feels completely surreal,” Wong said. “Just being around all these pros. It doesn’t even feel like a real experience.”
But Wong and Smith remain laser-focused on doing their job and ensuring that matches flow smoothly, despite coming face-to-face with some of their sporting heroes. However, they do try to watch the professionals to pick up habits that might improve their own game.
“I always try to stay focused while I’m working,” Wong said. “I always try to watch the pros and see what they’re doing. Just seeing matches up close… it’s a crazy experience.”
Jayden Wong ahead of the 2026 US Open. Photo via Jayden Wong family
Smith and Wong also believe that their experience on the US Open ball crew teaches vital life and community-building skills.
“When you’re on a ball crew, you’re on one big team,” Smith said. “You’re just working together. Bringing each other up.”
NYJTL, founded over 50 years ago by US tennis legend Arthur Ashe, currently serves more than 90,000 K-12 students across the five boroughs of New York City, bringing free programming to underserved communities across the city.
Udai Tambar, the organization’s Queens-based executive director, told QNS last year that it is “fantastic” to see such a strong Queens representation in the tournament’s ball crew, stating that the experience is “life-altering” for young tennis players.
“First of all, for Queens to be the home of one of the Grand Slam tournaments – this is one of the most prestigious tournaments in the world – and then to have our young people on the same court with these world-renowned athletes. It’s life-altering for them,” Tambar told QNS last year.
Tambar believes that sharing the court with world-renowned players like Alcaraz will inspire young tennis players to continue playing the sport into adulthood.
He said it is especially important that Queens-based members of the non-profit are part of the ball crew, noting that the majority of participants in the organization’s grassroots programming come from Queens.
Tambar added that bringing tennis to underserved communities across the city is a key principle of the organization, stating that access to sports such as tennis can have a profound impact on a young person’s confidence.
“We firmly believe as an organization that talent is universal and opportunity is not,” Tambar said. “There’s tremendous talent in the borough of Queens, what’s often lacking is just the opportunity for that talent to shine