Gaël Monfils and ball boys open ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament at full tilt
With a stunt in downtown Rotterdam, French world class tennis player Gael Monfils, Dutch wheelchair tennis player Maikel Scheffers, two ball boys, and tournament directors Richard Krajicek and Esther Vergeer officially opened the 43rd ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament (WTT). A huge tennis court was attached vertically across the façade of ABN AMRO’s Coolsingel office, measuring 26 metres wide and nearly 50 metres tall. The ball boys moved along long cables to catch the tennis balls fired at them by the top tennis players from the roof of NH Hotel Atlanta.
ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament director Richard Krajicek: “Ball boys and girls often develop into tomorrow's top tennis players. Many famous tennis players started off their successful world-class sports careers as a ball boy or ball girl. I myself got into it that way as well. Talented ball boys and girls are absolutely vital to a smooth tournament, and this spectacular stunt is a great way to put these deserving youngsters in the limelight.”