Whether one’s mother is just starting to take lessons or is the Singles Champ of her club, anyone can benefit from some serious tennis coaching. Since many tennis programs are also located in destinations that are tempting vacation spots as well, holiday time goes along with the training.
Mouratoglou Academy, France They can’t promise a Grand Slam winning streak like Serena Williams’s, the most famous of the many tennis stars that Patrick Mouratoglou has coached, but the staff here will certainly up anyone’s game—and as an added bonus, the Academy is located in Biot on the Cote d’Azur, 15 minutes from Nice International Airport. The 30 acre resort contains 34 clay and hardcourts; adult tennis camps are available from June 17th to August 31st in either five day weekday or two day weekend, full day, half day or night session tennis instruction including physical and mental training. On site accommodations include a full scale resort and apartments. And since Patrick Mouratoglou lives nearby, he drops by and interacts with participants when he isn’t on tour with Holger Rune whom he’s currently coaching. Other top ranked pros such as Stefanos Tsitsipas also come here to train so you never know who’ll be hitting in the next court.
Mouratoglou Tennis Center at Costa Navarino, Greece The Mouratoglou coaching philosophy is also available at this center in the resort community of Costa Navarino overlooking the Ionian Sea in the southwest Peloponnese. There are 12 courts-seven clay, four hardcourt, one grass court-half and full day sessions available for instruction as well as tennis clinics, physical and tactical training and the ability to play full games against the pro. Then after sessions end, there’s a sandy beach and two resorts, The Romanos, a Luxury Collection Resort, and The Westin Resort Costa Navarino and their full spas for recovery.
Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar, Spain The 22 Grand Slam winner set up this academy in his hometown of Manacor, Mallorca in 2016 to pass along his methodology (or as much of the extreme physicality and slashing forehands that can be communicated.) This year, the Academy, with 43 clay and hardcourts, is opening its first adult camp from June 16th to August 25th offering 12 hours of technical tennis training, five hours of physical preparation and other activities plus seven nights at the resort Rafa Nadal Residence. Nadal’s first coach, his uncle Toni, and former World No. 1 Carlos Moyá, are in charge of the programs and Rafa drops in from time to time. There’s also a new facility in Mexico: the Rafa Nadal Tennis Centre in Costa Mujeres which offers three-six day programs with training two hours a day and accommodations at the resorts TRS Coral Hotel and Grand Palladium Costa Mujeres Resort & Spa.
Indian Wells Tennis Garden, Indian Wells, California The site of the BNP Paribas Open, aka Tennis Paradise, is open to members and the public when the pros aren’t staging their tournament. Lessons are available in hour and half hour sessions along with regular group clinics and faster live ball clinics. Located 14 miles from Palm Springs, the tennis center is surrounded by resorts but an appropriate add on for these tennis activities is a stay at nearby Sensei Porcupine Creek in Rancho Mirage owned, like Indian Wells, by Larry Ellison. Apart from additional instruction by Director of Tennis Caroline Vis, a former WTA top ten doubles player, guests can take advantage of all of the scientific and holistic wellness treatments at this 230 acre retreat. The views of the Santa Rosa Mountains that surround the property would be worth a visit on their own and so is the cuisine created by Nobu.
One & Only Palmilla in Los Cabos; Mandarina, Riviera Nayarit, Kanai, Riviera Maya, Mexico The tennis management company LUX Tennis operates top tier tennis coaching facilities in resorts around the world as well as contracts with major tennis players who make personal appearances at the resorts. Like the other international programs, these three Mexican resorts offer the LUX combination of individually tailored private lessons, clinics, games and tournaments for players of all skill levels throughout the year. And for participants who time it well, they might encounter current stars in resort Meet and Greets such as Carlos Alcaraz who dropped into One & Only Palmilla to offer personal instruction in December and Iga Swiatek who did the same in Cap Juluca in Anguilla; the players also sometimes oversee tournaments among the participants and will hit against them. (LUX Tennis is also offering Forbes readers a complimentary tennis lesson if they book their stay through LUX.)
Rosewood Bermuda Through its association with Cliff Drysdale Tennis, another major tennis management company, this resort offers a comprehensive tennis program of lessons, clinics, competitions and mixers on its four Har-Tru courts. Led on site by Director of Tennis Ashley Brooks, one of the island’s top ranked players, instruction can be individualized to all levels. And given Bermuda’s perfect sports environment-hot during the summer but moderate during the winter-tennis is played throughout the year.
The Mustique Tennis Club, Mustique, St. Vincent and the Grenadines The celebrities and royals who own elaborate villas on this private Caribbean island also play a lot of tennis. The six courts at the Tennis Club are available to all island guests for lessons and clinics with Club pros along with seasonal camps and tournaments in high season plus the Mustique Tennis Academy taking place this May and June. In it, the staff analyzes technique, ups the level of coaching and guests test out the new skills in a high level of match play. Afterward, guests staying in either villas or the island’s one hotel The Cotton House can participate in other island activities such as sailing, lying on the beach or the nightly parties at Basil’s Bar.
The Boca Raton, Florida This South Florida grande dame, extensively renovated two years ago, has for generations been a meeting place for tennis players in the area social scene. The Racquet Club is comprised of 16 Hydro-Grid courts and a full service concierge to coordinate the activities whether it’s organizing private lessons or finding a partner of comparable skills for a game. Clinics for adults range from fundamentals for beginners to power tennis. And after participants come off the court, they have the beach, three pools, 12 restaurants and Spa Palmera for relaxing weary muscles.