Asked why she had come to Auckland so early - Kournikova arrived on Monday morning, a week before next week's ASB Bank Classic - her father again emphasised the professionalism.
"She wants to prepare properly," he said, before moving to pick up the balls as Kournikova practised on the stadium court where, next Tuesday, she will play the second match in the first round of singles.
She leaves no doubt she is serious as she continues to chase an elusive first WTA singles title.
Within hours of arriving she had her first session on court. She was back twice on Tuesday and again yesterday, and will repeat that routine today.
The 20-year-old has supplemented her rigorous court work by running in Auckland's Domain.
Apart from her parents, the only other serious spectators in the heat at Stanley St yesterday afternoon were her trainer and masseur - all part of the Anna Kournikova show.
After a brisk warm-up where she was on one side of the net and New Zealand top-10 players Jacob Olsen and Mark Thompson, who both reached the quarter-finals of last week's New Zealand Residentials, on the other, she played two full-on sets with Olsen and Thompson alternating every two points.
"She hits the ball a lot harder and flatter than I had imagined," said Olsen, the national 18s champion. "I thought it was going to be easier than it was out there."
In two hours on court, punctuated by the occasional exchange in Russian with her mother, Kournikova showed some clever touches. Her double-handed backhand was an obvious strength in her game, which also featured deft ground strokes.
Her serve remains an apparent weakness but Olsen and Thompson scoffed at suggestions "she can't play".
"You don't get to No 8 in the world and win Grand Slam doubles titles if you are no good," said Thompson. "She certainly can play - and is a very nice person as well."
Kournikova opted for Auckland ahead of Gold Coast, the only other tournament on the Sanex WTA Tour next week, because she has already played the Australian tournament.
"There is very little difference in the ranking points between the two tournaments now we are a tier four," said Classic tournament director Richard Palmer.
"She has been to Gold Coast, played the Hopman Cup and done the exhibition thing and was happy to come to Auckland to prepare for the Australian Open."
The other big drawcard, Spain's Conchita Martinez, is due in Auckland tomorrow.
Palmer yesterday gave Shelley Stephens the second wildcard into the main draw, where she joins Pavlina Nola as the second New Zealander in the 32-strong draw.
Ilke Gers, Tracey O'Connor, Leanne Baker and Dianne Hollands have New Zealand's wildcards into the qualifying tournament, which starts on Saturday and will find four players for the main draw.
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