Hilarious scenes at the US Open as NBA star Jimmy Butler undergoes training to turn ball boy for Carlos Alcaraz and Frances Tiafoe's exhibition match

Carlos Alcaraz and Frances Tiafoe's exhibition match at the US Open took a hilarious turn as NBA superstar Jimmy Butler took on the role of a ball boy, much to the amusement of the packed crowd at the Louis Armstrong Stadium.

On Wednesday, Alcaraz and Tiafoe took part in the Stars of the Open exhibition match, a ticketed event aimed towards raising funds for Ukrainian Relief Efforts through GlobalGiving’s Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund. The duo faced off in a rematch of their thrilling semifinal clash at last year's edition of the American Major.

Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler was roped in to make a special appearance at the event. While Butler's presence at tennis tournaments is a familiar sight, this time the NBA superstar took on a new role as a ball boy during the match.

To ensure that he was well-prepared for the job, the 33-year-old actively participated in a training session with the US Open ball crew beforehand. Butler took part in various training exercises with the ball kids, learning the art of ball changes, rolling the balls, feeding the balls to players, and the proper on-court stance.

He then ran out onto the court with the ball crew for Carlos Alcaraz and Frances Tiafoe's match, much to the delight of the cheering crowd.

"Carlos Alcaraz put himself in a position where you talk about him in the same way as Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal" - John McEnroe

Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic

Carlos Alcaraz has taken the tennis world by storm over the past year, winning his maiden Grand Slam title at the 2021 US Open and his second Major title at the 2023 Wimbledon Championships. During this time, the Spaniard also claimed the World No. 1 ranking and secured four ATP Masters 1000 titles.

In an interview with Eurosport, John McEnroe expressed his admiration for the Spaniard's "unbelievable" achievements and asserted that Alcaraz has put himself in the same leagues as tennis legends Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.

"What Alcaraz has done in the last year is unbelievable. He's put himself in a position where you talk about him in the same way as Novak and Rafa [Nadal] in a way which is incredible," McEnroe said.

McEnroe also expressed his eagerness to witness a showdown between Djokovic and Alcaraz at the US Open after their riveting clash in the Cincinnati Open final, where the Serb emerged victorious.

"To see the all-time great play against the young superstar is incredible. I'd love to see that match played again. The last couple of matches have all been close and incredible matches. Let's hope it lasts," he said.

Seeded No. 1 at the US Open, Carlos Alcaraz could potentially set up another thrilling final against second seed Djokovic during the Spaniard's quest to successfully defend his title in New York.