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More than 394 ball kids are currently working at the 2023 Australian Open -- the largest group of ball kids working in the tournament’s history. However, it has come to light that the kids are not being paid for the hard work they are doing in extreme heat and torrential rain, provided only with a gift bag and food allowance.
People around the world are understandably angered by this treatment, especially given that ball kids are usually paid for the work they do at other tournaments and Grand Slams. The US Open, for instance, pays $15 an hour, and Wimbledon pays a flat rate of $351 per week. This huge difference between the treatment of ball kids has led to a lot of outrage.
Among others, journalist Justin Smith slammed the authorities for not paying the kids for their hard work and compared their conditions at the Australian Open to that of children in a Charles Dickens novel.
“Are we in a Dickens novel or something? Come on. Pay the kids. I’m shocked that they didn’t pay them. I think it devalues them appallingly. They should start forking out as soon as possible ... I really do, it’s devaluing them,” said Justin Smith at the Sunrise Breakfast Show on Channel 7.
Most questions are being directed at tournament director Craig Tiley, with many wondering why a Grand Slam that is paying more than $76.5 million in prize money cannot bring themselves to fairly compensate ball kids for their time and effort.
Andy Murray appalled by ball kids working after midnight at Australian Open
Playing a late-night match against home favorite Thanasi Kokkinakis, former World No.1 Andy Murray made his displeasure with the working hours of the ball kids at the 2023 Australian Open known as well.
Murray made a great comeback after being two sets down against Kokkinakis in the second round, playing for almost six hours to finish the match in five sets. The contest ended after 4 am, which caused Murray to give a piece of his mind to the tournament authorities.
Were he one of the parents of these kids, Murray declared, he would be "snapping" those who were making them work so late in the night, adding that such practices were not beneficial for anyone.
“If my child was a ball kid for a tournament, they’re coming home at 5am in the morning, as a parent, I’m snapping at that. It’s not beneficial for them. It’s not beneficial for the umpires, the officials. I don’t think it’s amazing for the fans. It’s not good for the players,” said Andy Murray after his match.
In light of that, a crowd funding page for $25,000 has been set up to pay the kids who worked at the Murray-Kokkinakis match.
