A member of the ANT club in Narbonne, Julien Marcuello has been playing tennis since he was very young. After successfully passing selections, he was able to join the group of ball boys, especially for the Roland-Garros final.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your career in tennis?
My name is Julien Marcuello, I’m 15, and I’ve been a ballboy all over France for three years now. I participated in many tournaments, such as the Open Sud de France three times, twice in the Masters 1000 in Monte-Carlo, and this year I was lucky enough to be a collector at the big Roland-Garros tournament. . I also did other lesser-known tournaments when I started out, such as Montpellier. I’m still waiting for answers but I will be able to take part in the Paris-Bercy tournament at the end of the year, and only Roland’s best collectors are selected. It will also be my last year as a collector because the age range is only 12 to 16 years old.
How is the selection going for a tournament like Roland-Garros?
We pass a lot of tests, of all types: physical, speed, teamwork, coordination, technique (especially in rolls and throws). These are not easy elements to learn, I remember when I started I had trouble memorizing them. There is a whole methodology to ensure that exchanges are fluid during tournaments. We pass selection tests over a whole afternoon to be able to access the course. Then we participate in a four-day course to take tests. For my part, I did my internship at La Grande-Motte and there were 48 of us. During these four days, all the basics of collecting were reviewed: throws, receptions, holding umbrellas, etc. At the end, the coaches announce the names of the selected ones who will participate in the various tournaments, and this year I was one of the lucky ones.
Picking up the balls of the greatest players in the world must be impressive, how did you experience it?
I experienced it extremely well, it has always been great experiences. It’s true that the first few times, when you arrive on big courts with a lot of people, it wasn’t easy, but over time you get used to it, you know what you have to do. The most stressful thing is when there is hesitation, we will be more easily mistaken. Afterwards, I’m not going to lie, it’s very impressive, but it’s really a privilege, and in addition, as collectors, we have the best places to watch the matches.
How was your experience at Roland-Garros?
I had already acquired quite a lot of experience in the field of collection, so it went very well. I was ahead of some other pickers, and that’s really what made the difference and what allowed me to pick up the semi-final and the grand final of Roland-Garros. It was a great pride to be part of the 18 best collectors of the tournament. I finished Roland’s adventure until the last game. And even better than that: I was on the last match point of Rafael Nadal’s final! It’s always hard to leave friends, when for three weeks we created real bonds between us, but all beautiful things come to an end. I will keep a great memory.
