A top-class ballkid should be neither seen nor heard. They should be inconspicuous and efficient. Interacting with the players is forbidden. That is, until Maria Sharapova and Thanasi Kokkinakis step on to centre court. With a selfie stick. Then, as was the case on Tuesday, all rules go out the window.
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In their freshly minted uniforms, the ballkids of 2015 crowded around the world No 2 and Australian young gun for the traditional team photo.
Fresh from claiming her 34th career title in Brisbane at the weekend, Sharapova, the 2008 Australian Open champion, high-fived some of the 380 ballkids, then Kokkinakis led a ball-skills drill.
At 18, Adelaide-born Kokkinakis is only three years older than the veteran ballkids, while those working at their first Open are as young as 12.
Most ballkids hail from Victoria, with 25 relocating from interstate for the two-week tournament. In keeping with Tennis Australia's Asia Pacific strategy, this year six ballkids come from China, two from Singapore and 20 from Korea - home of the main sponsor, Kia Motors.
