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Assistant umpires for top matches > If you do not want to spend to pay money for additional umpires, why not hire lower level volunteer umpires who will work for free because they may be looking for match credits to move up to the next umpire level. They could still have limited duties such as edge balls or keeping score or the controversial service faults viewed from opposite side (Of course the main umpire or referee could reverse assistant umpire calls just as the tournament referee can reverse main umpire's calls)

Ball boys & ball girls > What not find volunteers for top matches. They do not have to be current table tennis players but few of them could turn into future table tennis players. You can look for them in local schools. At least top matches should have multiple balls

It is bad optics for a major tournaments such as US Open or US Nationals etc , not to have assistant umpires or ball boys or ball girls.

This is not just for US Open but is true for any high level tournament worldwide.

All true.
Also there is another annoying problem \
When no electronic score board is available , usually the assistant umpire flips the scores.
I found it annoying that the umpire was not showing the score board to the camera at least every 6 points or so
Usually if there is an umpir e, they assume this duty as well

Arleans wrote: ↑December 22nd, 2025, 11:54 am All true.
Also there is another annoying problem \
When no electronic score board is available , usually the assistant umpire flips the scores.
I found it annoying that the umpire was not showing the score board to the camera at least every 6 points or so
Usually if there is an umpir e, they assume this duty as well

If this is Las vegas, why not look for volunteer showgirls who may want to volunteer to walk around the court with scoreboard .........you know, like multi-million dollar boxing matches
They can do this to enhance their resume & to be noticed as live auditioning to be selected for boxing matches in the future