Wheelchair users have never been able to be ballkids in tennis tournaments.

Our technology makes it possible.

While there are devices to assist people in picking things up, nothing in existence functioned for the unique task of picking up multiple balls at the speed required to avoid interrupting the tennis match.

The first-of-its-kind assistive technology developed for Mastercard allows wheelchair users to seamlessly pick up and store tennis balls with the same speed, agility and accuracy as every other ballkid.

The Australian Open is one of the biggest moments in the country’s cultural calendar, with 49% of Australians tuning in (a higher percentage than the 37% of Americans who watch the Super Bowl).

Being a ballkid at a Grand Slam tennis tournament is a life-changing opportunity for tennis-mad kids to see their heroes up close and be part of the action.

But one group of tennis fans have never been given the chance to be ballkids.

Even though wheelchair tennis matches are part of the tournaments, wheelchair ballkids have never been included.

While there were no specific rules disallowing people in wheelchairs from taking part, an underlying social bias prevented them from doing so. Kids in wheelchairs at local clubs were not being selected to trial for ballkid positions in tournaments. They were able to play in junior wheelchair tennis tournaments, but for the role of ballkid, they were left on the sidelines, missing out on the opportunity of a lifetime.

The tennis world assumed that they simply couldn’t do it.

Mastercard has an established commitment to inclusion by design, previously making an impact through ideas such as Touch Cards™, which allow people who are blind or have low vision to identify different cards, and the True Name™ Card, which lets transgender people use their preferred names.

Mastercard has sponsored the Australian Open for the past 8 years. From within the tournament grounds and beyond, the brand seeks to use its platform to champion DE&I.

Our task was to make tennis more inclusive.

To create a real impact, we needed to create technology that let wheelchair users be ballkids. The technology needed to be inexpensive and available everywhere.

A world where everyone belongs is Priceless, so Mastercard brought together a network of passionate experts to make the first wheelchair ballkid possible.

The team consisted of technology partners, ballkid coach and assessor Diana Sutterby, Paralympic gold medalist Heath Davidson, previous world #4 tennis champion Alicia Molik, accessibility consultants and 11-year-old junior wheelchair tennis champion Sonny Rennison.

Together, we developed first-of-its-kind assistive technology that allows wheelchair users to seamlessly pick up and store tennis balls with the same speed, agility and accuracy as every other ballkid.

We ran a pilot program to put the technology to the test, with professional ballkid training alongside experienced ballkids, and performing at match conditions provided by current and former world-ranked tennis players.

September 2023 – Project kick-off.

October 2023 – Extensive consultation begins with wheelchair tennis players and accessibility consultants to identify challenges in being a ballkid, and advise on solutions.

November 2023 – Prototyping, consultation, initial testing and refinement.

December 2023 – Match-condition testing, final refinement and development.

January 2024 – Release and on-court demonstration, the open-sourced technology was made available globally through Priceless.com.

Through consultation with wheelchair tennis players and disability advocates, we identified that difficulty in quickly picking up balls has always kept wheelchair users from consideration as ballkids.

We developed first-of-its-kind assistive technology that allows wheelchair users to seamlessly pick up and store tennis balls with the same speed, agility and accuracy as every other ballkid.

The handheld device consists of a central chamber that uses tension to collect and store multiple tennis balls, with an angled opening that allows for quick pick-up. Openings along the side of the technology allow for easy removal of tennis balls. The ergonomic handle is finished with tennis grip tape so that the user can maneuver their wheelchairs, just like wheelchair tennis players do with their rackets.

An additional ball storage device was also developed to attach to the back of wheelchairs for service of the players.

The devices had to be simple and inexpensive. They were made available worldwide through open-sourced 3D printing, so anyone has the equipment to become a ballkid.

We used PLA, a non-toxic, bio-based industrial thermoplastic that is 100% biodegradable, with optimized molecular weight, improving the interlayer bonding quality and impact resistance.

During the first Grand Slam of the year, the first wheelchair ballkid hit the court. Sonny showed the new technology to the media, and they showed the world.

The technology behind the first wheelchair ballkid reached over 400 million people with $0 media spend, and achieved $24.5 million in earned media.

There was an 87% increase in positive brand sentiment month-on-month, and Mastercard had the highest earned share of voice compared to all tournament sponsors.

The pilot program was a groundbreaking success, showing what is possible.

Mastercard has open-sourced the technology for all, available through inexpensive 3D printing, taking the impact from an event in Melbourne to the entire world.

We’re also working at a grassroots level, encouraging tennis fans in wheelchairs to apply for ballkid trials and providing them with technology and training to assist them.