An army of volunteers is putting in the hard yards at the ASB Classic that's now underway in Auckland.
About 450 volunteers and 200 paid staff are part of the contingent needed to bring Aotearoa's premier tennis tournament together.
The ASB Classic is both a WTA and ATP 250 event, which means it attracts quality players from around the world.
This year, as in previous years, the tournament relies on volunteers to get things up and running and keep it on course for its two-week duration.
At a time when most of the country is on holiday, 120 ball kids are working rostered shifts doing a raft of on-court tasks that keep the games on track.
1News spoke to a number of ball kids who wouldn’t spend their holidays any other way.
Most of them also play tennis at their local tennis clubs.
"I like how it’s really fun, and it’s competitive," says Athena, who plays at Bucklands Beach Tennis Club in Auckland.
"You need to have good time management and be where you need to be on court," says Amelia. "You need to be really fit 'cause you’re running a lot."
The young players were among a group of ball kids who were watching World Number 3 Coco Gauff warming up today.
Other volunteers include hitting partners requested by tournament players who need a high-level local to practice with.
"Every player arrives with his or her coach, but they also have a requirement to have hitting partners alongside," said Auckland Tennis general manager David Frank. "So from our perspective, it's our job to locate them, and they need to be of a certain quality to cope."
A dedicated team also manages player logistics, including organising personalised luxury transport.
Spectators may be surprised to learn that below the Stanley St courts is a dedicated team of 'stringers' who are expecting to restring around 800 racquets over the course of the tournament.
Each racquet arrives with a personalised note of the tension required.
The tournament, now on the third day of the women’s competition, got off to a smooth start, with Auckland’s weather finally playing its part after rain disruptions last year.
All eyes are now on the ball, with many volunteers working long hours to ensure the tournament continues to go well.
SHARE ME