This was the spark7 ballcrew challenge 2026

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Nearly 300 children and teenagers gathered at Vienna’s Colony Club last weekend to compete for one of the coveted places in the spark7 ballcrew for the Erste Bank Open 2026. The biggest surprise of the day came when Dominic Thiem joined the event, delighting participants with autographs, selfies and an entertaining Q&A session.

29 June 2026 By Erste Bank Open

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(c) e|motion/Zolles KG

“I was never a ball kid myself. That’s why I have so much respect for all of you who came here today,” said the 2020 US Open champion before taking part in the various ballcrew challenges alongside the youngsters.

(c) e|motion/Zolles KG

To round off the day, Thiem awarded a special wildcard to 14-year-old Felix from Vienna, securing him a place in the spark7 ballcrew for the Erste Bank Open 2026 prematurely.

(c) e|motion/Zolles KG

In total, 80 children and teenagers will be part of the spark7 Ballcrew at Austria’s biggest tennis tournament this October, helping to ensure the smooth running of matches on and around Centre Court. For young tennis fans, it is a unique opportunity to experience world-class tennis from closer than ever before.