Kia Owners Eligible to Apply: Recruiting Korean Ballkids for the 2027 Australian Open

A Total of 20 Selected for Ball Retrieval, Player Support, and Court Management
Applications Accepted During Both Rounds; Multiple Applications Allowed
Open to Children and Grandchildren of Kia Vehicle Owners

On May 11, Kia announced that it is recruiting Korean representatives for the 'Ballkids' who will participate in the 2027 Australian Open, scheduled to be held in January next year. Ballkids are responsible for handling and supplying balls on the court during tennis matches, assisting players, and supporting match operations.

Kia Selects Korean Representative for '2027 Australian Open' Ball Kids. Kia

The recruitment process is divided into two rounds: the first round runs from May 11 to June 10, and the second round runs from July 20 to August 19. Applicants may apply for both rounds.

Children or grandchildren of Kia vehicle owners (including those who purchased, leased long-term, rented, or bought used vehicles) who are Korean nationals, have no restrictions on overseas travel, and are between the ages of 12 and 15 as of January 1, 2027 (born between January 2, 2011 and January 1, 2015), are eligible to apply.

Applications can be submitted through the official Kia Ballkids website. Candidates will undergo an English proficiency test (TOEIC Bridge) to assess their communication skills required for the Ballkids role, as well as evaluations of their knowledge of tennis rules and athletic ability. A total of 20 Ballkids will be selected through this process.

The finalists will participate in the 2027 Australian Open held in Melbourne, Australia in January 2027, where they will experience matches featuring world-class tennis players and have the opportunity to immerse themselves in local Australian culture during the approximately two-week official schedule.

Kia is the longest-running sponsor of the Australian Open, one of the world’s top four major tennis tournaments, and has supported the event since 2002. Since 2003, Kia has selected Korean Ballkids representatives every year.

A Kia official stated, "The Kia Ballkids program is a meaningful initiative that allows young tennis enthusiasts to gain unique experiences on the global stage. We hope many young people will take an interest and participate in this invaluable opportunity to represent Korea as Ballkids at the Australian Open."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.