In the video above, we meet some unusually furry ball boys, and watch as they snag tennis balls for stars Venus Williams and Svetlana Kuznetsova at a match in Australia. In reality, the ball boys are really ball dogs: Ted, Oscar, and Super Teddy. It’s part of a special match put on by ASB Bank.
Decked out in yellow wristbands to protect their doggie wrists from unforgiving clay, the pooches are focused completely on the job at hand. After all, tennis balls! If only their human counterparts were as enthusiastic about retrieving them.
The match begins with applause for the canine crew. From there, it’s time for them to lick their chops while carefully tracking the spherical yellow toys—sorry, balls—that are flying back and forth. When Svetlana hits one into the net, ears flip, and it’s on. Dogs race from everywhere, even opposite sides of the court simultaneously. Players laugh, and, wait, did that ref just slyly drop a doggie treat?
Is it a coincidence that the video doesn’t show Venus or Svetlana picking up any of the probably drool-drenched orbs? We suspect not.
