From Majuli to Melbourne: Farmer's Son Samuel Doley Selected as Ball Kid for 2027 Australian Open

Majuli: Samuel Doley, a young tennis enthusiast from the river island of Majuli in Assam, has achieved a fairytale milestone by securing a spot among just four Indians selected to serve as official ball kids at the 2027 Australian Open in Melbourne.

The son of a farmer from Chanong village, Samuel locked in his selection following the grueling national trials conducted under the Kia India Ballkids Program in New Delhi on October 24 and 25.

Remarkably, Samuel had never even seen a tennis court or picked up a racquet until 2024, previously only attending local martial arts classes. His life transformed after being scouted under the Bhoomi Programme, an initiative run by the Rohan Bopanna Tennis Academy (RBTA) in partnership with the Sunbird Trust.

He is currently one of 27 underprivileged children from Majuli and Bongaigaon receiving fully funded residential education and world-class sports training at RBTA's Bengaluru center.

Out of nearly 700 participants aged 12 to 15 nationwide, Samuel emerged as the lone selection from Northeast India. Tennis legend Rohan Bopanna congratulated the youngster, calling his journey inspiring.

An ecstatic Samuel, who dreams of turning professional, expressed his excitement, “I’m so excited for this. I could never imagine that this is going to happen in my life”.

He is eagerly looking forward to watching his favorite stars, Carlos Alcaraz and Ben Shelton, play live on the grand stage in Melbourne.

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