Winners of KIA Motors's Ballkids India Programme announced

Ten kids, including two from Delhi, one from Mumbai and two from Hyerabad, have been selected to represent India as ball-boys for the Australian Open tennis tournament starting next month.

KIA Motors, the world's eighth largest automaker, unveiled the excited kids at a press conference on Wednesday.

In the second year of the initiative in association with the year's first Grand Slam, an elaborate selection process was carried out across the country and followed up by a rigorous training schedule to prepare the kids to carry out their duties as all-boys in front of a world-wide audience, a statement said.

Aged between 12-15, the list includes Atrijo Sengupta from Kolkata, Aditya B.M.V. and Sanskruti Vadakattu from Hyderabad, Sharvin Kaustubh from Mumbai, Atharva Hitendra from Ahmedabad, Rijul Bhatia, Sargam Singla and Yashvardhan Gaur from Punjab and Divyanshu Pandey and Harshit Pandita from Delhi.

This year, more than 250 young tennis enthusiasts from across India attended trials where they showcased their tennis expertise, agility and communication skills.

The trials for the second season of the Australian Open Ballkids India Program took place in 10 cities to present a lifetime opportunity to tennis enthusiasts.

The final squad of 10 kids was selected by the Australian Open officials who put the kids through a series of gruelling tests like the Rolling Technique and Servicing Technique among others that tested their athleticism and their on-court communication skills.

( With inputs from IANS )