Among the 428-strong crew of ballkids at the 2025 Australian Open were some local faces from Brimbank, including Tayla Funaro from Keilor.
tayla was part of the largest ballkids group in the event’s history
According to Tayla, being part of one of the biggest global tennis events was a “dream come true”.
“I am feeling so privileged and grateful for such an amazing opportunity and for being part of this amazing ballkid squad and team,” she said.
“I’ve been playing tennis since I was three years old and I’ve always loved [it].
“Watching the Australian Open and Wimbledon, I used to think to myself that I want to play in those finals one day. When I saw the ballkids I dreamed of being a ballkid too.
“One dream is accomplished, now the next is to become a professional tennis player.”
Out on the arena, it’s hard not to have idols and for Tayla it’s a toss up between former and current superstars.
“My favourite was Ash Barty for so long, and one of the reasons was because of how good her slices were. I always looked up to her,” Tayla said.
“Every time she won my dad and I used to say it’s a ‘Barty Party’.
“My favourite player now is Ben Shelton, because his serves are so powerful and I was a ballkid for him last year.”
