The draw has been made, the courts are ready and the ball kids have been assembled for the start of New Zealand’s premier tennis tournament.
The action at the Auckland Tennis Centre starts on Monday with the women’s week of the ASB Classic – and for the first time in a long time, we have a real chance of seeing a local going deep and potentially lifting the trophy.
But it’s not just about the action on the court. The ASB Classic is as much about what goes on in the stands, boxes and out in the hospitality area, so there is plenty to look forward to in our all-too-brief summer of tennis.
Here is a look at who is competing and what to look out for:
Madison Keys will be feeling pretty good right now. The last time she came to Auckland back in 2013 she was bundled out in qualifying, but this time returns as the number one seed.