Pupils chosen as ball boys and girls at Wimbledon

Four pupils from a school in Surrey have been selected from more than 500 candidates to be ball boys and ball girls at Wimbledon.

Oscar, Caitlin, Adam and Oliver, who go to The Beacon School in Banstead, will be among about 250 pupils from years nine and ten at the summer tennis tournament.

Physical education teacher Nathan Sasson picked the quartet to attend official try outs in February, after which they were selected.

Oscar said he was aiming to "follow in the footsteps" of his mother and uncle, who were previously selected for the honour.

Sasson, who chose the pupils from about 30 interested, said they must be "really switched on mentally and physically".

He added: "They've just got to be able to do an incredible thing in front of the world's best tennis players.

"They get to present themselves as really dedicated and extremely hard-working students, and I think it's just a really proud moment for them."

Training at school started in September and will continue until the tournament begins at the end of June.

Head teacher James Grant Duff said the pupils had been rewarded for their hard work in recent months.

Established in 1877, Wimbledon is the oldest tennis competition in the world and ball boys have been a feature from the start.

Ball girls were introduced in 1977, and almost 50 years on, Caitlin said she was proud to be flying the flag.

"It shows a lot of resilience, because you're lining up with the boys," she said.

"I think it's really important to show what girls can actually do."

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