The Rafa Nadal Academy: The truth about the Rafa Nadal Experience - Is it worth it?

As a Tennis Director in Spain it’s always smart to keep your ears open to what’s happening in the world of tennis training. Good coaches need to freshen & update their own skills & programs regularly. With such great coaches in Spain, I’d be a fool not to learn from them myself. Coaches talk. Whispers between coaches about the Rafa Nadal Academy seemed positive. I started doing my adult programs at the Nadal Academy and the facility is exceptional. So is the price tag. So what’s really under the surface? Is the Rafa Nadal Academy worth the price?

I hung out with former Rafa Nadal Academy coach, Francesco Mendo who spent a year at the academy from Italy. He’s ranked on the ATP, helps me with Indie Tenis adult programs but now dedicates his time to his studies.

Summer Tennis Camps 2023 (Spain & Florida)

Summer tennis camps in 2023 are here again parents! The difference this year is that you’ve been hearing about the travel slowing down due to the scary economy. Telling you no one would travel & flights would be too expensive. It’s true flights are expensive. But I can tell you writing from this from the island of Mallorca, Spain, European tennis is on the move! So much so that currently the top training academies are requesting playing videos because they’re that full for their annual programs. They likely won’t request playing videos for entry during Summer months but the academies have suggested Summer 2023 is proving to be one of their most promising Summers in decades. Accommodations for Summer tennis camps are filling fast! It’s surprising a lot of parents just how limited spaces are, as I write this in early March.

How DOES Spain Stay on Top in Tennis?

Tennis in spain is back in the spotlight thanks to Carlos Alcaraz. But has spanish tennis ever really slowed since the late 80’s? Growing up playing juniors back then, players went to 1 academy - Bolletteri’s in Florida. It was THE place for tough, intense - dynamic tennis training. Not IMG. I’m talking about Nick Bolletteri’s in Bradenton, Florida. You knew if a player went there they had Professional tennis on their radar. It seemed like any player who came out of there had a story to tell. OR became a pro player. It wasn’t just American kids either. It was the junior tennis academy known around the world where top players could reliably find the best sparring partners, period. If you know anything about junior tennis, you know a junior tennis academy is only as good as the lead coaches & players training there. As Bolleteri’s became a distant memory, so did American tennis. In came an avalanche of spanish super hero’s that dominated the Pro tour, certainly the men’s game. Tennis in spain got a huge marketing boom known as the “spanish system” in early 2000’s. It wasn’t true, but it sounded good. As it stands in late 2022, 6 men sit in the top 50 ATP. The top 2 players are spanish. With Nadal coming in behind Carlos Alcaraz. The spanish continue to excel in tennis training & competition making it the smartest place to test yourself anytime of year (including, Winter or preseason). Not to mention it’s a gorgeous country with terrific beaches, welcoming people and fair prices. Find out more about tennis in Spain …

Is Tennis the Best Sport? Adults, prepare to be courted

If you already play tennis, you know tennis is the best sport for adults looking for an exciting & healthy way to grow older. If you’re a new player curiously lurking how to get started, prepare to be courted - hard! Adults looking for an athletic charge, a way to improve yourself & engage in friendly competition with other adults will agree, tennis is the best sport. THE sport that offers adults; movement, momentum, connections & longevity. 4 things that motivate adults on the road to a long, fun life. You don’t have to compete to enjoy tennis. It’s beauty are the ways the sport connects people, organically. The fact that it’s played year round helps maintain those connections. Adults can play the sport into old age. The added longevity tennis adds to an adults lifespan is the sweet spot. A game that’s ever evolving, just like you.

High School Tennis: Summer tennis camps are back 2022 without delays

As high school tennis players look ahead to Easter tennis camps & summer tennis camps in 2022 they´re ripe to go BIG! With another weird school year of limited socialization, restrictions & uncertainties. High school players may not play, again! Junior tennis players want to be on court, outside, with friends who play tennis.

Covid hit kids (12 - 17) hard these past 2 years. The isolation feels like desperation to a tennis player who wants to play. And thanks to Covid, kids may not play another tennis season. So a summer tennis camp in Spain should be on your players early tennis training list.

Jofre Porta: Spain's Best Junior Tennis Academy

Jofre Porta runs Spain’s best junior tennis academy on the island of Mallorca. Responsible for the development of Rafa Nadal and Carlos Moya, Jofre continues to develop competition junior tennis players from around the world. His academy is non-commercial and minimalistic on purpose. A master technician and mentally tough coach. The guy builds tough players. Keeps things simple and in doing so is Spain’s best junior academy for players age 9 - 15 playing junior tennis tournaments.

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