Charlie Reid’s passion for stringing racquets has landed him in the same room as star player Nick Kyrgios – if only briefly.
“Kyrgios came into the stringing room the other day doing a promotional video,” the 16-year-old from Barwon Heads said.
“He was just in and out – it was for his sponsor, Yonex.”
Charlie has been travelling by ferry four days a week to work in the Yonex stringing room at the Australian Open.
“It’s been awesome,” he said.
“I’ve really loved being in there and meeting all the stringers – just learning more about stringing racquets and how to string faster.”
“I’m working 9am to 5pm … so that doesn’t leave much time to watch the games.”
But he hopes to continue the gig in future despite the limited time to watch games.
“It’s just about being around the sport that I love,” he said.
Charlie bought his own stringing machine at age 14 before starting a job with Surf Coast Racquets owner Tim Batty at Geelong Lawn Tennis Club.
“He’s a pretty handy tennis player and works for me part-time,” Tim said.
“He wanted to be involved in the open so I spoke to the guys up at Yonex and got him a job.
“He’s a fantastic kid – if he wasn’t I wouldn’t have put his name in there.”
This is the first time stringing at the open for both Charlie and Tim, who has worked in the industry on and off for 40 years.
Organisers were using more local stringers this year due to COVID-19 restrictions, Tim explained.
Jonathon Zarb, from Centre Court in North Geelong, is working in the open’s statistics department while at least three local juniors players are volunteering as ballkids.
