More love: US Open drops throw at ballperson tryouts

NEW YORK — Forget the toss. Ballpersons will roll balls on court at the U.S. Open, opting for the technique used at the other three Grand Slam events.

The U.S. Tennis Association announced Thursday it will drop the throw to broaden the pool of applicants for tryouts, which begin Tuesday at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

Tina Taps, director of U.S. Open ballpersons, says the change will put more focus on speed and agility as “important attributes for a ballperson, along with overall court awareness.”

More than 100 ballperson positions will be up for grabs. Those 14 and older are eligible to try out.

The U.S. Open will feature a new 14,000-seat Louis Armstrong Stadium with a retractable roof. The two-week event begins Aug. 27.

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The Associated Press