David Lewis, his wife, Rosaria, and Jade and Carolina are all passionate about tennis. Photo / Dean Purcell
Jade and Carolina Lewis will run on to the Stanley St courts on which their father David once competed - as ballgirls.
Mr Lewis, a former Davis Cup player, has coached in Germany and Switzerland and is now based in New Zealand as director of the SEED
Foundation, which nurtures local tennis players.
He is the brother of Chris Lewis, Wimbledon finalist in 1983 and Davis Cup star.
While Carolina, 12, feels she is still a few years away from playing in the women's open, she is content to share the court with her heroes Marina Erakovic, Caroline Wozniacki and Elena Dementieva.
She loves "standing just two metres away from hard hitting" and recalls "handing Marina [Erakovic] the winning ball" in her first-round victory in last year's open.
Does Carolina expect to do as well as her father? "Better!" she said without missing a beat.
She was a ballgirl for the ASB Classic final last year, and stands a good chance to be on court in the final again in 2009, as she has two years experience on court.
Jade, 10, is a ballgirl for the second time. Aside from "getting hit in the bottom" and ducking the hard serves in the men's competition, she feels she is one step closer to following her dream of professional tennis competition.
Mr Lewis said he did not push his daughters into tennis, but was thrilled at their participation in the tournaments.
"Kids have so many options these days, with Nintendo and TV and other things. But Jade and Carolina are very keen to be ballgirls.
"I am happy for them to follow what they are passionate about."
His memories of Stanley St tennis go back to 1974, in a men's tournament remembered for the presence of a Swedish star. "My father brought me to watch Bjorn Borg as a 10-year-old."
Thirteen years later he had his brightest moment in the men's open, reaching the quarter-finals. He was eliminated by the eventual winner, Mark Woodforde.
