Catherine, Princess of Wales joined former world number one tennis star Roger Federer for a behind-the-scenes look at work of Wimbledon's ball boys and girls in a newly released video. During the event, Kate took part in a doubles rally with the eight-time Wimbledon winner as she hailed the “amazingly professional ball boys and ball girls.”
- The Princess of Wales is a well-known tennis aficionado, and this weekend she got the chance to play a round with Roger Federer
- The pair united for a video celebrating the often unsung work that Wimbledon’s young ball boys and girls do throughout the iconic Grand Slam event
- In other royal news, Kate Middleton is wearing red more frequently, and the reason why involves Princess Diana, the late Queen and… science
Kate Middleton and the eight-time Wimbledon champion, Roger Federer, watched a training session where youngsters were hoping to impress selectors and bag one of the 250 spots as a ball boy or ball girl for the tournament next month.
The princess, who is a patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, said Wimbledon was “renowned for its amazingly professional ball boys and ball girls" and it was "incredible to see it behind the scenes.”
She added, “With all the discipline and everything you've learnt, you'll be able to take it into so many other parts of your life - things like confidence, and that feeling of pride with being on any of the courts is such a big moment.”
The lucky youngsters that make it to the famous tournament – which starts on July 3 - will have completed months of rigorous training, where they learn key skills including how to signal a ball change, rolling the balls up to the net, and the correct way to bounce the balls to the players.
These ball boys and girls will most likely come across Kate again – plus some of her family members. Tennis – and Wimbledon in particular – is a shared love throughout the Middleton family.
Carole Middleton is a regular fixture in the crowds, befriending all those around her – no matter if they’re super famous or just a fellow tennis lover.
After Kate praised the work of the youngsters, she couldn’t resist getting in on the action herself, challenging Roger Federer of all people to a game of doubles.
In the video, shared on YouTube on Saturday night, the Princess of Wales even managed to get a shot past the legendary tennis champ, prompting him to exclaim, “I think it was on the line. Amazing!”
Talk about high praise.
But that didn’t stop Kate from taking her shot at getting some advice from the best, cheekily asking, “Any tips on my serve at the same time would be very helpful.”
The friendly match must have meant a lot to Catherine, who was actually due to face off against Federer in a charity tennis day last year – something which Kate pulled out of following the late Queen's funeral.
Roger Federer has become a friend of the Royals and the Middletons, and he was present for the wedding of Kate's sister Pippa to James Matthews in 2017.
He’s also been reported as visiting William at Kate at Anmer Hall in Norfolk, where he gave Prince George a private tennis lesson.
But after seeing this video, maybe George can take a few tips from his mom…
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