Tennis for All Ages

YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU WATCH TENNIS EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, YOU'LL SEE BALL RUNNERS SPREAD ACROSS THE COURT BETWEEN POINTS PICKING UP TENNIS. TYPICALLY THOSE PEOPLE ARE PRETTY YOUNG. IN FACT, THE AVERAGE AGE A BALL RUNNERS AS THE U.S. OPEN A NEW YORK CITY. IT'S 21, HOWEVER, AS WGCUS CARY BARBOR LEARNED A TOURNAMENT IN BONITA SPRINGS FEATURES BALL RUNNERS AT THE OTHER END OF THE AGE SPECTRUM. >> THE FIND MARK WOMEN'S PRO TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIP WAS IN FULL SWING AT THE BONITA BAY CLUB IN BONITA SPRINGS. COMPETITORS CAME FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD TO PLAY FOR THE $15,000 PRIZE MONEY AND A CHANCE TO ADVANCE 2 GRAND SLAM TOURNAMENT LIKE THE U.S. OPEN AND WIMBLEDON 50. WHAT MAKES THIS TOURNAMENT DIFFERENT IS THAT THE BALL RUNNERS WHO ARE TYPICALLY VERY YOUNG ARE ELIGIBLE FOR SENIOR DISCOUNTS, BUT AGE IS NO OBSTACLE FOR THESE RUNNERS. THEY LOVE BEING OUT THERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ACTION. JUST A FEW FEET AWAY FROM WORLD-CLASS TENNIS PLAYERS. >> IT'S THE BEST EATEN HOUSE. AND IF YOU'RE A TENNIS PLAYER, EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT, IT'S FASCINATING TO BE OUT THERE WITH THEM AND APPRECIATE THE SPEED OF THE SPORT. >> DERBY BRANDENBURG IS 64. SHE'S BEEN A BALL RUNNER FOR 6 YEARS. NEARLY SINCE THE TOURNAMENT'S START, GARY MCMANUS AGE 65 SAYS THAT IT'S A THRILL TO SEE THE BALL COMING AT HIM AT 80 OR 90 MILES PER HOUR. THEY TELL YOU HAVE TO STAND STILL AND YOU SEE THIS BALL COMING OUT TO A LOT OF TIMES OF A SUDDEN YOU SEE THIS ROCKET APPEAR OUT OF NOWHERE >> AND THEY'RE HEADING THE BALL BACK. BUT THEY DO. THEY HIT THE BALL VERY HARD. AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY IT'S VERY EXCITING TO SAY. >> THE RUNNERS WORK IN TEAMS OF 6 AND ARE ON THE COURT FOR AN HOUR. THEY REST FOR AN HOUR. THEN BACK ON COURT FOR ANOTHER HOUR. DESPITE THE BLAZING FLORIDA SUN, THE BALL RUNNERS I TALKED TO SAID AND OUR ON THE COURT FLIES BY. >> OK, YOU GUYS CAN HEAD. >> THE TOURNAMENT EMPLOYS 150 BALL RUNNERS AND 85% OF THOSE WHO SERVED LAST YEAR ARE BACK AGAIN THIS YEAR. 50 YEAR-OLD TEAL A ROY LOVES BEING ON THE COURT WITH HER DAUGHTERS AGES 14 12. THEY'VE BEEN BALL RUNNING TOGETHER FOR 4 YEARS. >> I WAS AT THE NET RUNNING YESTERDAY WITH MY DAUGHTER. ADDISON AM. SHE'S SO FUN TO DO IT WITH AND SHE SO QUICK AND WE'RE ALWAYS GIVING EACH OTHER A LITTLE LIKE THEIRS AND SIGNALS AND I IT'S FUN BECAUSE I THINK WE WORK REALLY WELL TOGETHER. AND THAT'S VERY FUN. >> ROY ADDS THAT SHE LOVE SUPPORTING THE WOMEN ATHLETES WHO INSPIRE HER DAUGHTERS. THE FAMILY ALSO HOSTS A PLAYER AT THEIR HOME EACH YEAR. >> THIS YEAR WE HAVE A PLAYER FROM ARGENTINA AND THE KIDS LOVE GETTING TO KNOW HER AND THEY PLAY TENNIS TOGETHER DURING THE WEEK. >> MCMANUS SAYS THE BALL RUNNERS GOAL IS TO BE INVISIBLE. >> NOT TO BE NOTICED, NOT TO BE NOTICED BY THE SPECTATORS BY THE CHAIR UMPIRE BY THE PLAYERS. IF WE'RE DOING A GOOD JOB THAT WE'RE NOT BEING NOTICED. >> TENNIS PLAYERS THEMSELVES, THE BALL RUNNERS SAY THAT WORKING THE TOURNAMENT INVIGORATES THEIR OWN GAME, THOUGH THEY MAY WATCH THE PROS A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY. NOW. >> WHEN YOU WATCH IT ON TV ARE ALWAYS WATCHING THE PLAYERS. NOW, WHEN I WATCH THESE TENNIS TOURNAMENTS, I WATCH THE BALL RISE AS MUCH AS THE PLAY FOR WGCU NEWS. I'M CARY BARBOR.