Between Kei Nishikori (and Sloane Stephens!) nabbing this year’s CitiOpen tournament titles and the upcoming US Open in high anticipation come September, tennis is certainly trending! The rousing recreation — and worldwide spectator sport — also makes for a great game on a getaway.
From one-on-one lessons and courtside seats in the Caribbean, to personal form analysis and match-play in the Colorado mountains, Pursuitist has some destinations where tennis aficionados can continue to cultivate those court skills… and pair some R&R with the racquet. Check them out!
Hold court at Legends Camp at Rosewood Little Dix Bay (Virgin Gorda, BVI). This legendary Caribbean resort is home to the fourth annual Legends Tennis Camp with Premier Tennis, taking place this year from November 29-December 3, 2015. For five days, tennis fans work one-on-one with renowned coaches and pros Wayne Bryan and Murphy Jensen on the resort’s new, state-of-the-art courts. To conclude the camp, guests cheer on tennis champs, including Martina Navratilova, Kim Cljisters, Tracy Austin, Donald Young, Brad Gilbert and Marion Bartoli from spectacular courtside seats at the annual Necker Cup Charity Pro Exhibition, followed by Sir Richard Branson’s legendary “End of the World” party, which features a performance from Grammy Award-winner Sean Paul.
Or go for doubles at The Broadmoor (Colorado Springs, CO) where The Broadmoor’s exhilarating Adult Tennis Camps feature intensive instruction, fast-paced drilling, Dartfish video analysis and supervised match-play on the Broadmoor’s courts — like those clay ones shown above. Tennis is run by the resort’s professional staff, who were rated as the #5 Resort Teaching Staff in the country by Tennis Magazine.
Wild Dunes (Isle of Palms, S.C.) couldn’t have a better location, just a few minutes from Charleston, which was once named the country’s best tennis town by the United States Tennis Association. South Carolinian southern hospitality is accompanied by 17 Har-Tru courts – including a stadium court. Guests enjoy daily complimentary court time, as well as access to a full-service Pro Shop and top-ranked instruction with the likes of its pro, Charly Rasheed… also the author of popular tennis tome Brain Alignment: The Art of Focus in Tennis.
Take in some sets — and the sea — at The Sea Pines Resort (Hilton Head Island, SC). Stan Smith, past Wimbledon and U.S. Open champion and former U.S. Olympic men’s tennis coach, leads the tennis-filled weekends known as the “Stan Smith Super Series.” Each day, guests participate in 9-hour classes that feature video analysis of serves, strokes and strategy, as well as personalized lessons and practice drills.
The facilities shine at Rancho Valencia Resort (San Diego, CA), which underwent a $30 million upgrade, including resurfacing all the courts, in the last few years. Bouganvillea and citrus groves offer a serene, scenic backdrop for 18 plexi-pave championship courts. But players should come for the instruction. Rancho Valencia’s staff of experienced USPTA and USPTR certified tennis professionals are led by tennis director Robin White, a former U.S. Open winner.
And you never struggle to get a court at the Saddlebrook Resort (Tampa, FL), with its 45 courts. The Harry Hopman Tennis Program at Saddlebrook offers tennis programs for players of all ages and ability levels, attracting enthusiasts of all four Grand Slam surfaces from across the globe. The combination of tranquility, privacy and exclusivity on property coupled with the energy of the world’s top players training to reach their goals of ATP and WTA success has made Saddlebrook a historic and legendary training ground. In fact, guests have enjoyed watching some of the world’s best players during their training at Saddlebrook, including in the past: Jim Courier, Pete Sampras, Martina Hingis, James Blake, and currently, John Isner, Jack Sock, and Bob and Mike Bryan.
