LANGLEY schoolboy Alex Chan admits his chance to share a court with US Open and Olympic champion Andy Murray at the ATP World Tour Finals cannot come quick enough.
After winning a nationwide competition from 2,500 children across the country the 13-year-old will be one of 30 Barclays Ball Kids at the O2 Arena in London from November 5-12.
Chan spent his half-term at The Hampshire Racquets & Health Club being put through his paces ready for the week in the spotlight in the capital.
And while the Langley Grammar School pupil is expecting a tough week's work at the O2 Chan cannot wait to get acquainted with Murray and the rest of the world's top players.
"The training was very tiring," said Chan, who made the Ball Kids National trials but missed out on the final cut in the previous two years.
"My knees are very sore because you spend so much time on them but the training has gone really well and now I am just looking forward to getting the chance to get out on the court.
"I am going to be one of the ballboys at net rather than on the baseline so I'll be running around the whole time.
"But I cannot believe that the best eight players in the world are all going to be there on the same court as me.
"I have been there three times before to the O2 to watch but this will be something entirely different." Over 20,000 spectators a day will see Chan in action at the eight-day season finale, which sees the cream of world tennis go head-to-head for total prize money of nearly.�3million.
And while Chan is itching to get started, the Bisham Abbey tennis player believes there will be more than a few nerves when he steps out onto court for the first time later this month.
"The atmosphere and the noise is going to be amazing," he said.
"We went to check out the court last week at the O2 to get a feel for the surroundings and it will be pretty nerve-wracking when we go out there for the first match." For more information on becoming a Barclays Ball Kid at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London visit www.barclaysballkids.com ** SEE Friday's Observer for all the latest sports news and action ** ** FOLLOW the Observer on Twitter @Observer_sports **
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