Skipping school for a day to hunt for autographs of top tennis players

Sam did not go to school on Wednesday, but was at the Autotron site in Rosmalen early. There he mainly looked around the training tracks in the morning, hoping to get autographs. “And preferably from Tallon Greekpoor,” says the Arnhemmer, who is holding a large tennis ball in his hands with the necessary signatures.

Fellow local Ruben Steer (11), also from Arnhem, also skipped a day of school. “It’s great fun to see those top players at work. I already have several signatures on a tennis ball or on my tennis bag. But of course I’m not just there to watch the training, we also go to matches.”

When Félix Auger-Aliassime comes to the training track a little further on, children come running. They all want an autograph from the number four in the world. Vlad from Vuren is also there and watches a training match between the Canadian world top player and the Russian Daniil Medvedev, number eight in the world.

“It’s great to be around these greats,” responds the eleven-year-old tennis talent who also skipped a day of school. “When I watch these tennis players, I try to learn from them. Like the serve or the backhand.”

Cas de Weijert dreams of a professional life. “You have to keep an eye on my name,” says the eleven-year-old Eindhoven resident, laughing. Unlike other children, he did not have to report sick. “At our school we have a week of June vacation. Why? I have no idea, but it is nice.”

The world star who perhaps received the most attention from the public on Wednesday was Alex de Minaur. It looked as if the Australian number six in the world had honey on his body: like bees, children came from everywhere to have their picture taken with him. Such as a group from Eijsden in Limburg, who had a day off due to a local holiday. “We love it here despite the rain.”