Rotorua tennis player Grayson Verran’s special role in Australian Open match

Jannik Sinner and Marcos Giron pose with Rotorua's Grayson Verran before Round 4 at Rod Laver Arena during the Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 18. Photo / Tennis Australia

The sound of more than 14,000 tennis fans cheering his name did not make Rotorua 9-year-old Grayson Verran nervous when he performed the coin toss at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena during the Australian Open.

“Plus a few million watching on the TV,” he added.

The Rotorua Tennis Club player said his heart was beating “five times faster than normal” but he “could concentrate” when he walked on to the court in front of the world’s number one tennis player, Jannik Sinner, on January 18.

A student at Otonga Road School, Grayson won the trip in a Tennis New Zealand competition.

He had been scheduled to go on a different holiday with his dad Graeme Verran, but his mum said this would be a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity”.

Weiwei Verran – a keen tennis player and the first ethnic liaison officer for Bay of Plenty Police – said she and her son travelled to Australia for the fourth match of the Australian Open.

Grayson performed the coin toss to start the match between Australian Open title defender Sinner of Italy and the United States’ Marcos Giron. Sinner went on to win the match and defend his title.

Seeing himself on the big screen at Rod Laver Arena was incredible for Grayson, she said.

“They interviewed him after the match and he was on the big screen, the emcee asked him what his favourite food was.

“Green chicken,” he answered.

“I think he meant green curry chicken,” Weiwei said with a laugh.

Weiwei Verran and her son Grayson Verran travelled to the Australian Open in January where he did the coin toss for the match between Jannik Sinner and Marcos Giron.

“Those words came out on the green screen so the crowd were laughing,” she said.

Weiwei said she entered him into the competition through Hot Shot Tennis, a programme for children he had been competing in since he was 4 years old.

“I just totally forgot about that until a few days before Christmas.”

After learning he had won, the pair flew to Melbourne the day before the match, for Grayson’s first time in Australia.

They headed straight to Melbourne’s China Town for dumpling noodle soup once they’d checked into the hotel.

“The trams in Melbourne are cool,” he said.

He was “nervously excited” in the hours before his starring role.

Sitting courtside, next to his mum, he enjoyed the pre-game laser show and a Beetlejuice-themed performance.

“I’ve seen both movies,” he said.

Grayson Verran was gifted the coin he used to decide who started the fourth match of the 2025 Australian Open. Photo / Supplied

He said his dad had shown him how to practise flipping a coin before he got on the plane.

“The actual coin is a bit heavier than a real coin.”

His mum had told him Sinner was the world number one, so Grayson let him call the toss.

Weiwei said she had lived in Rotorua 20 years and played competitive tennis at the Rotorua Tennis Club “for many years”.

“I’m a very competitive tennis player that’s why I want Grayson to play.”

She said Grayson won the Rotorua Club championship for his age group last year.

“For me, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience to watch Grayson toss the coin at the Australian Open,” she said.

Weiwei said since returning home, Grayson had not stopped wearing the Australian Open shirt he was gifted after the game.

“I have to wash it while he’s sleeping and put it back,” his dad said.

Grayson said his new goals were to “train more” and “get better” at tennis.

“It is my favourite sport,” he said.

A Tennis New Zealand spokesman said Hot Shots was where many Kiwi kids started their tennis journey.

“We had huge interest in this competition from young players across the country.

“Grayson was a fantastic representative for New Zealand on the biggest tennis stage in the world, and we know he had plenty of Kiwis behind him in the crowd.”

Aleyna Martinez is a multimedia journalist based in the Bay of Plenty. She moved to the region in 2024 and has previously reported in Wairarapa and at Pacific Media Network.