FLUSHING, New York—Fabrice Santoro was ready for his 2009 US Open match. “The Magician” was warmed up, mentally prepared and looking to dominate. He faced the ballboy to get his tennis balls prior to his first serve, something he had done hundreds of times, but this time he stopped dead in his tracks. Instead of looking at a fresh-faced kid, a gray-haired man smiled back at him.
Santoro pointed to the man’s gray hair peeking out from his hat, gave him a look, and shook his head, puzzled by the anomaly. “The Magician” spent the rest of the match going out of his way to make sure the grey-haired ballboy didn’t work too hard, often running after loose balls himself.
No, this is not the plot of a movie. It is the story of 63-year-old Jerry Loughran, the oldest ballperson at this year’s US Open. When Loughran tells his story, his face lights up, acting more like the kids usually filling the ballperson position than the mature retired lawyer he actually is.
His wife saw a story about the ballperson tryouts on the local news, but it wasn’t until 2006 that Loughran was finally able to try out. He made it to the second round, but did not make the final cut. Tina Taps, director of ballpersons, told him he should try out for a smaller tournament in his area to gain experience. He did and was awarded the job. During orientation he asked the director, “Where is the ballboy parking?” The director chuckled, not knowing the answer. “Ballboys don’t normally drive.”
The following year Loughran turned 60 and his wife gave him a trip to Ireland as a gift. The trip happened to fall during the tryouts. Being a ballboy at the US Open that year was not meant to be.
This year’s US Open was especially rewarding. “This year, for the first time during the qualifiers, my wife, my two daughters and my four grandkids came to see me.” For them, the tennis match was less important than the man with the grey hair chasing down the tennis balls.
Loughran will be 64 in November. He would love to come back and enjoy the sights and sounds of the Open; “It is just exciting to be on a court, with professional players and to see a match from that perspective.”
He is unsure if his aging body will be able to keep up. His knees both have torn meniscus, his Achilles gives him problems, and he has a slap tear in his right bicep. Throwing across the court is becoming more difficult, something that is imperative in a back court ballperson.
Regardless of next year, he will finish out this tournament, teaching the younger kids what this really means. “You are on the court with these professional players. This is the US Open. How much better can it get?”
The grey hair has brought wisdom, something the quicker, younger, ballpersons will have to earn. That, and a parking spot.
Follow Kristen on Twitter @Call2thebullpen
More on the US Open: http://ept.ms/usopen11
