“My whole family played tennis,” says eighteen-year-old Tres Davis. “My uncles, aunts, and granddad played. I’m part of a long line.” Given his own success on the court, it appears that the Davis family racket will live on—and not just in Tres, who was a finalist in the U.S. Open Junior Boys’ Doubles Championships last year, but also in his brothers Brandon, thirteen, and Blake, eight. In 1999 Brandon and his partner were among the top doubles players in the Boys’ 14 National Championships, and Blake won the Little Mo 8 and Under National Championship. Whom do they have to thank for their ability to serve, volley, and slice? Their mother, Leisa, who played at Texas Tech, and their father, Doug, who coaches at St. Stephen’s Episcopal School in Austin. But with the boys practicing at least three hours a day and tournaments a constant, even their parents have a hard time keeping up with their schedules. This month Tres plays in the Australian Open, and Brandon takes to the court in the Texas Excellence Invitational; later this spring, Blake will defend his title as the Little Mo Champ. “It’s hard to keep track of everybody—especially when they get to the national tournaments,” Doug says. “They’re all going in different directions.” Maybe so, but there’s no doubt that these brothers are also headed for the top.
