It seems there is a new star at the Flushing Meadows, and it is none other than Jimmy Butler! The US Open is yet to commence but the star of Miami Heat already stole the show against title defender Carlos Alcaraz. As the ball boys ran onto the court to take up their positions, Butler stood out, much to the crowd’s delight.
It was an exhibition match between Alcaraz and Frances Tiafoe at the Louis Armstrong Stadium. It was played with the intention of raising funds for Ukraine.
Butler turned up in the full uniform of the ball crew- the typical Ralph Lauren polo shirt and shorts. Jimmy topped off the look with a baseball cap. His entrance was met with loud cheers from the crowd.
THAT’S @JImmyButler‘s MUSIC!
AND AS A BALL CREW MEMBER! pic.twitter.com/SQKJmcNalg
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 23, 2023
Jimmy did not just limit himself to ball boy duties. At one point he even grabbed a racket and got on the court to play with Alcaraz. It was hilariously entertaining, to say the least. The spectators had a blast as Jimmy managed to even score a point against the reigning US Open champion.
Jimmy Butler playing tennis is hilarious 🤣
(via @usopen)pic.twitter.com/2pe9FFstpl
— ESPN (@espn) August 24, 2023
The videos of Butler in the ball crew attire left the fans in splits. One fan commented, “Jimmy is currently doing side quests.” Here are some of the best fan reactions from the event.
Jimmy is currently doing side quests
— Pun2odds (@cashoutodds) August 24, 2023
Jimmy Butler taking on tennis? That’s a grand slam of entertainment right there! 🎾😄👏
— Anyieth (@onewish298) August 24, 2023
Jimmy low-key cooked him there.
— ap 🎯 (@otheranthony) August 24, 2023
Jimmy Butler takes out World No. 1 😱 https://t.co/SmmW4kTOjL
— Ryan Panela (@RyanAPanela) August 24, 2023
It was a funny moment that entertained fans whilst simultaneously raising funds for a charitable cause. Butler and Alcaraz have a lot of respect for each other which is evident from the way they have spoken about the other person in the past.
Jimmy Butler on Carlos Alcaraz
The fact that Jimmy Butler is a big tennis fan is quite well-known. He is often spotted at tennis tournaments, from Wimbledon to the Miami Open. Butler is also Alcaraz’s fan and even showed up to watch his match at the All-England Club this year.
The two met in Buenos Aires for the first time, when Alcaraz defeated Bernabe Zapata Miralles at the Argentina Open. They knew each other of course, but they had not met previously. Carlos had called Jimmy, “a legend of his sport,” (via ATP Tour).
El momento del encuentro entre @JimmyButler y @carlosalcaraz pic.twitter.com/hS07pxwcnO
— IEB+ Argentina Open (@ArgentinaOpen) February 18, 2023
Jimmy was there when Alcaraz defeated Dusan Lajovic and only had high praises for the young Spaniard. The NBA star spoke of Carlos’ mentality of having fun while playing. Jimmy thinks it is one of the reasons Alcaraz is the top-ranked player in the world.
Carlos and Jimmy are both amazing at their respective sports. The exhibition match was played in good spirits. However, Alcaraz will mount his title defense when the US Open that begins on August 28th.