Wimbledon will get underway on Monday as the biggest stars in tennis descend on SW19 with the aim of landing a Grand Slam title. But the eyes of the sporting world will also be on the ball boys and ball girls, affectionately referred to as BBGs by organisers, with the All England Club handing out opportunities to around 250 youngsters this year.

Working as a BBG is a prestigious role, with the opportunity initially reserved for boys. Girls were afforded the same opportunity in 1977, with mixed teams of boys and girls introduced in 1980. The BBGs are able to work with tennis' top stars, and the likes of Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Aryna Sabalenka and Emma Raducanu will be relying on assistance from the youngsters during the 2025 edition of the tournament.

Wimbledon organisers usually receive around 1,000 applicants from youngsters who are interested in a role as a BBG.

Around 170 BBGs are selected from Year 9 and Year 10 pupils in local schools. And around 80 BBGs from the previous edition of Wimbledon are asked to return for a second stint.

The average age of a BBG is 15, with Wimbledon working with Grey Court School in Richmond, Sacred Heart High School in Hammersmith and Tolworth Girls' School in Surbiton since 2011.

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BBGs will be handed around £200 for their work at Wimbledon this year to cover expenses, while they are also allowed to keep their Ralph Lauren uniforms.

But the money is likely to be a secondary consideration for most of the youngsters, who will just be delighted to be able to play a role in one of the biggest sporting events on the calendar.

Last year, BBC Newsbeat spoke to two ball girls during the tournament to get their thoughts on the job.

Ball girl Aashny explained: "I've wanted to do this since I was in Year 7. We started training and each week certain people would get through to the next round. It's a long selection process.

"The first time I went onto Centre Court was really special. I get to see loads of players and be around this atmosphere for two weeks."

And ball girl Saran added: "I was always really nervous to go in. But I think the work has paid off. I have no idea who they (the players) are."

Meanwhile, former ball boy Alex Crockford told Express Sport about the mix of rigorous training and relentless challenges associated with the role last year.

Alcaraz will be looking to defend his men's title over the next fortnight after thumping Novak Djokovic in last year's final, with Barbora Krejcikova entering the tournament as the reigning ladies' champion.