The concept of a tennis ‘academy’ originated when visionaries like Nick Bollettieri and Harold Hopman identified an untapped opportunity in the tennis market. These pioneers saw the potential for dedicated training centers that could provide comprehensive support to players. Over time, these academies expanded, offering everything needed for players to reach their goals and fulfill their potential, from world-class coaching to state-of-the-art facilities, onsite accommodation, and schooling.
Finding a training environment that is both conducive for learning, geographically viable and has a proven track record of success is much harder than many people might imagine. In this post, we will highlight some of the best Tennis training academies in the world that are suitable for juniors, transitional players, and full-time professional players who are focused on high-performance training from professional tennis coaches. When evaluating a training center, we consider a variety of factors including location, price, coaching quality, facilities, players, programs, past successes, and intangibles. These centers provide comprehensive support and exceptional environments for developing tennis talent.
“How you do anything, is how you do everything”
– Martha Beck
1. Chris Evert Tennis Academy
The Chris Evert Tennis Academy, founded by former world No. 1 tennis player Chris Evert, is renowned for its comprehensive training programs designed for young athletes aspiring to compete at high levels. Located in Boca Raton, Florida, the academy offers personalized coaching, state-of-the-art facilities, and ample opportunity to interact with some of the best players in the world.
Pros;
1. Great facility
2. Ideally located in the beautiful south Florida near the Atlantic beach and conveniently located between 3 international airports
3. Home to numerous junior and professional players
4. On site accommodation and fully accredited NCAA approved college preparatory high school on campus
Cons;
1. High turnover of coaching staff
2. Expensive (1 year with boarding will cost approx. $63,500)
3. Not always enough courts for the number of players they have
Contact the Chris Evert Tennis Academy here
“If knowledge is a power, then learning is a superpower.”
– Jim Kwik
2. Mouratoglou tennis academy
The Mouratoglou Tennis Academy, founded by renowned coach Patrick Mouratoglou in the south of France, is recognized for its elite training programs that cater to both professional and aspiring tennis players. The academy offers world-class facilities, including numerous courts and surfaces, a fitness center, advanced sports technology and has become somewhat of a tennis ‘mecca’ in the last few years, largely due to Patrick’s charismatic persona, their social media presence, high profile athletes and some controversial stories.
Pros;
1. Great location in the south of France
2. Excellent facilities
3. Home to numerous junior and professional players
4. International network of academies (China, Sardinia, Malaysia, Greece, Dubai
Cons;
Patrick is not always on site to oversee the programs
2. It has become somewhat of a ‘tennis factory’
3. Many of the coaches are young and lack experience in developing professional athletes
4. Fewer pros training there than in the past
Contact the Patrick Mouratoglou Academy here
“An idiot admires complexity; a genius admires simplicity”
-Terry Davis (Creator of Temple OS)
3. Star River Team
Team Star River was founded by distinguished tennis coach Alan Ma who has an extensive history in both developing players and founding tennis academies (former owner of International Tennis Academy in Florida). Located in Guangzhou it offers a tennis friendly climate (although can get hot in the summers), on site accommodation and food as well as providing excellent tennis facilities and an experienced coaching team.
Pros;
1. Experienced coaching staff with a program that is overseen by someone with a proven track record of success
2. Supportive environment that is conducive for those wishing to make it as a professional or college player
3. Training base for numerous professional and junior players
4. Easy access to numerous ATP/WTA/ITF tournaments due to its location in Southeast Asia
5. Dedicated management team that assists with schooling, visa requirements, flight, and hotel reservations etc.
Cons;
1. A visa is required to enter China for people from certain countries
2. Language barrier can be an issue but all coaches and workers at Team Star River are international or speak fluent English
Contact the Star River Team here
“For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them.”
– Aristotle
Some honorable mentions must be given to the ‘Good to Great’ tennis academy (love that name) in Sweden, and the Rafa Nadal academy in Mallorca. ‘Good to Great’ which was founded by former ATP professionals Magnus Norman, Nicklas Kulti & Mikael Tillström have a revered coaching team with a ton of experience and a numerous junior and professional players under their tutelage, while the Rafa Nadal academy boasts excellent facilities including indoor and outdoor courts, on site accommodations , restaurants, gyms and much more, making it an international destination for players of all ages and abilities; perhaps the most attractive part of the academy is the opportunity to meet the man himself, Rafa Nadal!
If you are serious about pursuing a professional tennis career then some of these centers may not be right for you as you may need a more personalized coaching experience and team, but for juniors and aspiring professionals these locations offer an abundance of opportunity. Whether you are looking for a coach, a training base, best online tennis coaching or any other kind of support, don’t hesitate to contact us here at First Strike Tennis and let us help you get on track with your tennis goals.
