Rohan Bopanna on Samuel Doley’s Australian Open Selection: “This Is Exactly Why We Started the Bhoomi Programme”

13-year-old from Assam to serve as a ball kid at the 2027 Australian Open, highlighting how Rohan Bopanna’s initiative is creating opportunities beyond tennis championships.

For Rohan Bopanna, success in tennis has never been limited to trophies, titles or world rankings. The former Australian Open men's doubles champion believes the sport's greatest achievement can sometimes be measured by the opportunities it creates and the lives it transforms.

The selection of 13-year-old Samuel Doley from Assam as one of four Indian ball kids for the 2027 Australian Open is a moment that captures this philosophy.

Samuel, who hails from Majauli in Assam, is currently training at the Rohan Bopanna Tennis Academy (RBTA) in Bengaluru and is a beneficiary of its Bhoomi programme. His selection for one of tennis's most prestigious tournaments represents a significant milestone, not just for the young teenager but also for an initiative designed to make tennis accessible to children from financially disadvantaged backgrounds.

"This is exactly why we started the Bhoomi programme," Bopanna said, reflecting on Samuel's achievement. "For me, success is not just about producing tennis champions, but about changing lives through tennis."

The statement underlines the larger purpose behind the initiative: creating opportunities for children who might otherwise never have imagined themselves being part of the global sporting ecosystem.

From Majauli to Melbourne: Samuel's Remarkable Journey

For a 13-year-old from Majauli, Assam, the opportunity to be part of the 2027 Australian Open represents a remarkable journey. Samuel has been selected as one of four Indian ball kids for the tournament, which will take place in Melbourne in January 2027. The role will allow him to experience the atmosphere of a Grand Slam from a perspective that few young tennis enthusiasts get to witness.

Being a ball kid at a Grand Slam is far more demanding than simply retrieving tennis balls. It requires concentration, agility, physical fitness, teamwork and the ability to remain composed in high-pressure situations.

For Samuel, the experience will provide an opportunity to observe the world's leading players up close, understand the professionalism required at the highest level and experience the operational intensity of a major international tournament.

Interestingly, the role of a ball kid has also featured in the early journeys of some of tennis's biggest names. Grand Slam champions Roger Federer and Richard Krajicek were among those who served as ball kids before building successful professional careers.

While Samuel's immediate responsibility will be to perform his role at the Australian Open, the experience could become an important source of inspiration for his own tennis ambitions. Bopanna described his selection as an incredibly proud moment for everyone associated with RBTA.

"Coming from a small town in Assam to being part of a Grand Slam in Melbourne is a remarkable journey," he said, adding that he hoped Samuel's story would inspire more children to dream big.

Bhoomi Programme: Making Tennis Accessible Beyond Financial Barriers

Samuel's achievement brings attention to the work being undertaken through the Bhoomi programme, an initiative of the Rohan Bopanna Tennis Development Foundation (RBTDF). The programme currently supports 37 children from Assam and Jammu, bringing them to Bengaluru and providing an environment where they can pursue sporting ambitions without compromising their education.

The initiative begins with grassroots selection trials in underserved regions, identifying children with sporting potential who may not have access to professional training facilities or the financial resources required to pursue tennis. 

Selected children receive comprehensive support through RBTDF and the Kamal India Foundation.

This includes:

• Residential accommodation and meals.

• Formal schooling and educational support.

• Professional tennis coaching.

• Fitness and physical development programmes.

• Nutrition and psychological support.

• Regular assessments to monitor overall progress.

Importantly, the programme does not view children exclusively through the lens of sporting performance. Its approach combines education, athletic development and personal growth, ensuring that participants have opportunities beyond a potential professional tennis career.

For children from financially disadvantaged backgrounds, access to these facilities can make a substantial difference. The initiative removes several of the financial and infrastructural barriers that traditionally make tennis difficult to pursue.

The Bhoomi programme currently has 37 children enrolled, but its ambitions extend much further. The long-term target is to support at least 100 children from financially disadvantaged backgrounds, creating a sustainable development pathway that combines education with sporting opportunities. For Bopanna and the organisations involved, producing professional tennis players is only one possible outcome.

The larger ambition is to provide children with the confidence, discipline, education and exposure necessary to build better futures. This distinction is important in a sport where access to quality coaching, equipment, facilities and international exposure often depends heavily on financial resources. Through grassroots identification and residential support, the programme attempts to address these inequalities at an early stage.

Samuel's selection for the Australian Open may not be a tournament victory or a professional ranking achievement, but it represents something equally meaningful for the Bhoomi programme. A teenager from Assam will travel to Melbourne and become part of one of the biggest events in international tennis. His journey demonstrates how structured opportunities can expand the horizons of young athletes and introduce them to possibilities beyond their immediate surroundings.

As Samuel prepares for January 2027, his achievement offers a glimpse into what Bopanna envisioned when the programme was established. The target of 100 children remains a long-term ambition, and there is still considerable work ahead. However, Samuel's selection provides a tangible example of the opportunities the initiative can create.

In a sporting ecosystem often focused on medals, championships and rankings, Bopanna's message offers a different measure of success. Sometimes, the most important victory is not won on a tennis court. It is achieved when a child who once had limited opportunities gets the chance to stand on one of the biggest stages in world sport.

For the Bhoomi programme, Samuel Doley's journey from Majauli to Melbourne is precisely that kind of victory.