ball girl

American  

noun

1. Tennis. an attendant, usually a girl or young woman, employed to retrieve balls and supply players with them.

2. Baseball. an attendant, usually a girl or young women, who retrieves foul balls and brings the umpire new balls during the game.

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Etymology

Origin of ball girl

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

An element of luck helped Djokovic this year - avoiding a third-round default after almost hitting a ball girl with a reckless swipe, his fourth-round opponent Jakub Mensik withdrawing injured before their match and then watching a stricken Lorenzo Musetti quit when the Italian led their quarter-final by two sets to love.

From BBC

Firstly, fourth seed Djokovic had a narrow escape when he recklessly cracked a ball close to a ball girl during his third-round win over Botic van de Zandschulp.

From BBC

The 38-year-old was fortunate the fizzing forehand narrowly missed a ball girl who ducked out of the way as she crouched at the net post.

From BBC

The ball girl's quick reactions may have saved Djokovic.

From BBC

Turkey's Zeynep Sonmez rushed to help a ball girl who fainted during the qualifier's surprise first-round victory over Ekaterina Alexandrova at the Australian Open.

From BBC