Melbourne: Before Rafael Nadal lifted his 21st grand slam in Melbourne, the live telecast of the event showed a ‘coin toss boy’ standing between Nadal and Medvedev -smiling at the camera- ready to toss the coin for the match. However, onlookers back in Kerala had the faintest idea that this boy was indeed a Malayali. Joel Roney, the 11-year-old living in Melbourne, with deep roots in Kerala, tossed the coin for the iconic final between Nadal and Medvedev.
Joel is the son of Roney George, a native of Thidanadu in Kottayam and Smitha, hailing from Edappally in Ernakulam. Joel also has a sister named Joanne. Joel is associated with the Mill Park Tennis Club in Melbourne and take part in competitions for them.
His family moved to Melbourne in 2006. Joel has been attending tennis coaching since the age of five. Joel has been attending tennis coaching since the age of five at Vassallo Tennis under the guidance of Julian William Cree. Joel was Victoria's number one ranked player for the children born on 2010 as per Australian rankings of 31st December 2021.
“It was a great experience in life. I was able to see the legendary stars I adore and take pictures with them. Being a part of this tournament and being here to witness Nadal write a new history makes me proud,” Joel said. Joel added that his favourite player is Australian star Nick Kyrgios.
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