Tennis is very a labour intensive game to play..

[Tadpoletofrog]

Just watching the tennis and it struck me that for 2 individuals to play a match requires a facilitating team of at least 13 on the court..

1 main umpire
6 line judges
6 ball girls / boys

(Plus for Wimbledon and other major tournaments the security team who stand staring at the crowd during the breaks, and the people on standby to pull the rain covers over.)

I assume they all get paid, must cost a fortune.

Is 13:2 the biggest competitor to facilitating personnel ratio in sport?

It's also struck me that it's one of the most intense 1:1 competitions given how long matches can last.

I was lucky enough to go there on Monday and sat counting the officials and thinking the same thing!

Are the ball boys and girls still scouts and guides? Or is that just a fictional rumour?

No, I think they are recruited from local schools and tennis clubs. I was very jealous as a youngster, but not so much now they have to hold the players sweaty towels!

Gymnastics or figure skating must be up there with the huge ratios of judges: athletes.