It has yet to be discovered when or by whom tennis was invented. The first recorded tournaments took place in the XIX century. In our time, tennis has become one of the most popular sports, which is not surprising as it is no less spectacular than, for example, hockey or basketball. Tennis is a very mobile game in which technique and physical condition are also important. Technique, in turn, cannot be properly developed by practicing at an amateur level and learning independently. That is why training with professional coaches who can do everything necessary to help young talents reach their full potential is necessary. Going through the school program is also necessary, which is why the best academies offer training and coaching. Below, we look at the 15 best tennis academies in the world using the availability of highly qualified coaches and the opportunity to get a good education without compromising on training as the evaluation criteria.
The number and type of courts, infrastructure, and services the Academy provides also play a significant role. Let’s move on to the review.
Bollitieri Tennis Academy. Brandenton, Florida
The Bollitieri Tennis Academy was founded in 1979 by Nick Bollitieri.
Since its inception, the Academy has been at the forefront of training tennis players of the highest caliber. Many famous players have studied here, including Andre Agassi, Jim Kurie, Tommy Haas, and Maria Sharapova. Originally designed to train only professional players, IMG now combines the curriculum with professional training in several sports.
The Academy’s staff are multilingual, so international students feel at home. The total area of the academy grounds is over 600 acres, which includes 52 tennis courts, 12 football pitches, a Fitness Centre, 4 basketball courts, and A golf course. IMG Academy offers several levels of education: Primary School (up to Grade 5), Middle School (grades 6-8), High School
(9th-12th grade) Post Graduate The cost of tuition varies from $50,000 to $85,000, depending on the sport chosen and accommodation requirements.
Link to the Academy: https://www.imgacademy.com/
Emilio Sanchez Academy. Barcelona, Spain
The Academy was founded in 1998 by Emilio Sanchez and Sergio Casal.
It is an educational institution with high-quality standards. Training at the Academy takes place all year round, which is made easier by the weather. There are clay, grass, and hard courts on site. There is a summer program that combines a sports program with language practice. Students can choose between Spanish, English, or French. Students are offered a rich recreational program in their free time, including sightseeing tours, trips to amusement parks, and much more. Juan Monaco, Tamira Paszek, Andy Murray, Grigor Dimitrov, Svetlana Kuznetsova, and others have tried this system. On the territory of the Academy, there are 27 tennis courts, 12 hard, 13 clay, and 2 grass.
- A restaurant
- Outdoor swimming pool
- Hippodrome and stables
- Volleyball courts
- Football pitches, etc.
The cost of tuition and accommodation will be approximately $46000 per year.
Link to the Academy: https://emiliosanchezacademy.com
Evert Tennis Academy. Boca Raton, Florida
Founded in 1996 by tennis pro-Chris Evert and his brother John Evert.
The Evert Tennis Academy is affiliated with IMG Academy. Many famous coaches, such as John Evert, currently teach at the Academy, including Chris Evert, Elton Borges, and Adrian Arroyave. The Academy is home to an NCAA-accredited and NCAA-approved online high school, and some students attend a local school, Boca Prep International. Importantly, the location is next door to the USTA so that students can train with juniors. And if successful, there is the opportunity to move on to the full NSTA program. The site has 23 courts – 9 hard, 14 clay – and a private tennis club nearby where you can practice. The cost of training with accommodation is about $53000, and without accommodation, it is $39000.
Link to the Academy: https://www.evertacademy.com/
Mouratoglou Tennis Academy. Rte des Dolines, Biot, France
Opened in 2016, the Academy was attended by Serena Williams, Novak Djokovic, Grigor Dimitrov, Fabrice Santoro, and more than a thousand others, including coaches and tennis players, representatives of tennis organizations, and business people. About 30 coaches are involved in the students’ training. Most of the coaches are professional players. The Muratoglou Methodology, developed over many years based on numerous training sessions with players of various levels, is used in training.
The main aim of the Academy is to create and maintain a balance between the school and sports programs. Students plan for both a professional career and university studies. On the territory of the Academy, there are 34 tennis courts with various surfaces, 6 combined courts, The school Gymnasium, 4 swimming pools, etc. Tennis and School Fees Years 5 to 12.
- ~€37000 Tuition
- 1000 € Medical services
- 1500 Entrance fee
- 1050 Mental Preparation
- 800 Laundry
Link to the Academy: https://www.mouratoglou.com/
Saddlebrook Tennis Academy. Saddlebrook, Florida
Saddlebrook Tennis Academy was founded by Harry Hopman in 1986.
The curriculum is based on the Harry Hopman Training Method. Many notable players have trained with this method, including Jim Courier, Pete Samaras, James Blake, John Isner, and others. Students can train and play on 45 courts with a variety of surfaces. The Academy offers a program of studies from 3rd grade to 12th grade. The training also provides an individual approach to each student, regardless of their success. The Academy has very comfortable conditions. There is a spa, fitness center, swimming pool, and other pleasant details on the complex’s territory, thanks to which students can fully devote themselves to the training process. The cost of a three-month course is ~$18000.
A one-week residential program costs $1500.
Link to the Academy: https://www.saddlebrook.com/
John McEnroe Tennis Academy. Randall’s Island, New York
Founded in 2010 by John McEnroe, this Academy doesn’t boast any notable alumni but still makes the list of the best. The reason is simple:
The intensive tennis training program is diluted with other sports and curricula. John McEnroe believes that focusing a student on a grueling amount of training is a flawed strategy. He argues that young athletes need more free time, which puts them at risk of burnout. Indeed, if students spend 6-7 hours a day on the court, it may be impossible to maintain the workload. At the John McEnroe Academy, much emphasis is placed on psychology. As well as teaching the fundamentals of the game, the coaches try to instill a competitive spirit in the students. To this end, the children are taught to think properly, which will be useful even if they decide not to spend their lives in professional tennis. The Academy has 20 courts, 10 hard and 10 clay courts. Tuition is $28300 per year.
Link to the Academy: https://www.jmtpny.org/
Van Der Meer Tennis Academy. Hilton Head Island, SC.
Founded in 1986 by Dennis Van Der Meer, many students have graduated from the Academy throughout its history. They find that the coaches don’t just impart raw knowledge but wrap it up with genuine care. The coaches work through mistakes, help correct deficiencies, and treat students with care and mentoring wisdom. The Academy has over 30 courts where young athletes can play and train. A year’s training costs between $11,000 and $25,000. There is also a summer program where you can join for one day or longer. A day costs $90, and a week on the summer program costs $935.
Link to the Academy: https://vandermeertennis.com/
Saviano Tennis Academy. USA, Florida
The Saviano High-Performance Tennis Academy was founded in 2003 by former top-50-ranked player and coach Nick Saviano. Students are offered a choice of different programs, allowing them to combine curriculum and training successfully. A special feature of the Academy is the accommodation. Students do not live in dormitories or hotels but with American families. Emphasis is placed on the values of hard work, personal qualities, and character of the students, and the most important thing Nick Saviano noted – trust. There are 28 courts on the Academy grounds. There are 2 hard courts and 26 clay courts. The cost of a full-time player is approximately $23,700 per year.
Link to the Academy: https://savianotennis.com/
Tipsarevic Tennis Academy. Serbia, Belgrade
Tipsarevic Tennis Academy was founded in 2013 in his hometown by former ATP player Janko Tipsarevic. The main goal of the Academy is to help students improve in tennis and life. To that end, Tipsarevic has assembled a team of elite coaches, fitness instructors, and managers.
The program is designed to create an environment where the greatest attention to detail is possible. In this way, the Academy offers the highest class of services and has proven itself. The Academy has an on-site dormitory and a catering program, which comforts students and allows them to focus on their studies and training.
Link to the Academy: https://tipsarevic-academy.com
Kim Clijsters Tennis Academy
Founded in 2014 by Kim Clijsters, a professional tennis player and former world number one in singles and doubles. The Academy has 30 future professionals and about 300 students of different ages, from very young to elderly.
All students train at least once a week. There is a program for students still at school, college, or university. The number of hours of training is about 10-15. These hours include at least two hours of private training.
Pro Ture/Practice is the most advanced program for players who want to enter professional tennis. It involves using various services to increase the effectiveness of the training sessions. For example, the use of Hawkeye cameras, thanks to which it is possible to study in detail the strokes and find mistakes in technique, as well as massages and various examinations to determine an effective individual program. On the territory of the Academy, there are about 20 courts with different surfaces. In addition to tennis training, the program includes fitness, approximately 5-6 hours per week. One training day will cost approximately $60-$80.
Link to the Academy: https://www.kimclijstersacademy.be
Good to Great Tennis Academy. Stockholm, Sweden
GTG Academy, located in Stockholm, was founded by Magnus Norman, Nicklas Kulti, and Mikael Tillström. This Academy differs from the others in its narrow focus. There are only 2-3 students per coach. An individual program adapted to each person is offered.
It is also worth noting that GTG focuses on training and teaching the game. As the Academy’s founders note, to be successful in sport, you must devote 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year to it.
This approach to training allows you to work out the technical aspects of the game in more detail. It also allows for the full development of the student’s potential fully. The number of courts is 12, 7 indoor with hard and 5 outdoor with clay.
Link to the Academy: https://www.goodtogreat.se
Valencia Tennis Academy. Valencia, Spain
The Valencia Tennis Academy, founded by Sergey Dronov, has trained professional and amateur tennis players of all ages for over 20 years.
The Academy is located near Malvarrosa Beach. Many students live nearby, but transport is available for others. Eight clay courts are available for training and playing.
The program is tailored to each individual, and the main objective is results. Schooling is also provided during the training program. After training on the court, there are physical activities on the beach or the academy grounds. Students can participate in various tournaments to gain experience in the real game. The training process is also videotaped for later review.
The cost of one month of training on the Tennis Pro program at the Academy is €1600. It is also possible to train weekly or daily.
Link to the Academy: https://valenciatennisacademy.com
Rafa Nadal Tennis Academy. Manacor, Spain
The founder of the Academy is professional tennis player Rafael Nadal. The RNA was founded in 2016 in Rafael’s hometown of Manacor.
There are 23 hard courts, 19 open and 4 indoor, 20 clay courts (13 open, 7 semi-closed), two swimming pools, and squash courts. There is also the Rafa Nadal International School and the Sports Medicine Centre.
The training program combines tennis and education, allowing students to pursue their careers without compromising their studies. The program is mainly aimed at young students, but there are also programs for adults. Tuition costs $62,000 (€56,000) annually, including training and the school program.
Link to the Academy: https://www.rafanadalacademy.com/
Piatti Tennis Centre. Bordighera, Italy
Founded in 2017 by Ricardo Piatti, the Piatti Tennis Centre today offers a high-level training program and specializes in preparing young students who aspire to a successful professional tennis career. The young talents are looked after by professional coaches, psychologists, and fitness instructors. The Academy’s facilities include gymnasiums, a training room for viewing training records, a treatment room, and four indoor tennis courts. Practicing on the two clay courts of the nearby Bordiguer Tennis Club is also possible. All the Academy’s courts are equipped with a video surveillance system similar to Hawkeye. After lessons, you can review your technique in detail and work on your mistakes. The teaching staff comprises professional players who can use their experience to find the most suitable training program for each individual. Tuition costs vary from €5000 to €8000 depending on the training program chosen.
Link to the Academy: https://www.piattitenniscenter.it/en/
Anthony Harris Tennis Academy. Bantry Bay, Western Cape, South Africa
Founded by Anthony and Dionne Harris in Cape Town in 2013. The Academy is characterized by the founders’ desire to give children from disadvantaged backgrounds a second chance. The Academy has three hard courts and one clay court. It is based on the Rafa Nadal Academy program. Most students have two hours in the morning and two in the afternoon, with one hour of practice before each session. The school program is largely home-schooled, so the Academy students take advantage of a good education. A year’s training at the Academy costs approximately $10,000.
Link to the Academy: https://www.anthonyharristennisacademy.com/
Conclusion
The academies mentioned above are the best in the world. In each of them, young athletes can train on the most modern programs, taking into account all aspects of training. The choice also depends on the student’s preferences, with some spending more time on psychological training and education and others focusing on technique and sports training. One way or another, based on your preferences and considering the above, you can choose the Academy that suits you or your child.
