Rafael Nadal To Open A Tennis Academy

This is the first I've heard about this new project - Nadal laid the first stone of his tennis academy this week. It is due to open in 2016 and looks as if it will be a nice facility not just for tennis but for other sports and the local community. It will also house a sports museum that may prove popular with the many holiday makers that visit Majorca  

Yesterday the first brick was laid by Rafa himself as they began construction of his tennis school in his home town of Manacor in the east of Mallorca. Beneath the foundations he placed a time capsule containing, amongst other memorabilia, a tennis racket and a copy of the newspaper Diario de Mallorca.

The aim of the new project, which is expected to open in the summer of 2016, is to "bring the best" out of young players, but above all to "prepare them for the future" on a personal and academic level. Nadal also plans to work here once he retires from professional tennis and wants to bring young players from around the world to the school in Mallorca.

The building itself will house 18 tennis courts, a school and a residence for the pupils, and also the Rafa Nadal Foundation and a sports museum. In addition to these resources the complex will also contain 3 swimming pools, a football pitch, athletics field, a medical centre, a small shopping and social area, plus around 35 apartments for professional athletes and sports teams. With Mallorca becoming such a hub for cycling, swimming and other sports training it is hoped that the facility will be beneficial to bringing well known sports personalities and teams to the Island.

The complex will also be a 'meeting point' for the local residents and residents of the Balearic Islands and will be open to all to encourage a healthier lifestyle.

http://www.seemallorca.com/news/first-stone-laid-at-the-rafa-nadal-academy-678378

Absolutely fantastic, hes transformed tennis for the better by bringing so many people into tennis; and now is adding a long term legacy for the better of tennis.

It Must Be Love wrote:Absolutely fantastic, hes transformed tennis for the better by bringing so many people into tennis; and now is adding a long term legacy for the better of tennis.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwgrq2bh9gk

Same as Djoko did in Belgrade, and apart from cutting the ribbon on opening, he's never been there or anyone seen him?

Good way to invest some money for future

Jahu wrote:Same as Djoko did in Belgrade, and apart from cutting the ribbon on opening, he's never been there or anyone seen him?

Good way to invest some money for future

The Academy is to be run on the same lines as Agassi's in Las Vegas (which incidentally I have visited)
This of Nadal's is to be near his home in Mallorca and I dont believe he has done it for the reasons you cynically suggest Jahu, but for the same reasons as Agassi did.. I think Rafa has numerous investments elsewhere

I was not cynical, I was just stating the Djoko fact.

Open the Academy once they retire and get involved, not 5y before they can be there to help.

Bit of a brand-name marketing con here

And who would want to be trained by Rafa? Kids? They would be destroyed mentally by Rafas on-court practices, traumas for life, same as he had from Toni growing up

I'd rather send my kids to Djoko to train, he is much more cheering, soft and happy person then Rafa, and that's coming from a not so friendly Djoko guy here  

Come on guys, give us a vote here, who thinks Nadal or Djoko would be better to train Kids in tennis?

Omg, totally hijacking the thread sorry...

Come on Jahu no need for trolling on this thread. Would be curious to know what hte break down of number of courts by surface type is.

HB, I said sorry man, just HN provoking me as she does it best

Jahu wrote:HB, I said sorry man, just HN provoking me as she does it best

That is a cop out and you know it..you were trolling Jahu admit it Sorry you will have to cast your line elsewhere this fish aint biting

That's why I said sorry for trolling, accept my sorry, don't be so mean!!

But, you deserved it a bit too

Henman Bill wrote:Come on Jahu no need for trolling on this thread. Would be curious to know what hte break down of number of courts by surface type is.

This only answers your question in part HB because it is not an up to date article

http://the-slice.com/2014/08/nadal-presents-tennis-school-in-mallorca/

It appears that the tennis courts will be of all surfaces  what proportion I dont know.  However I would suggest that grass will be a bit problematical to upkeep given the climate but Im sure there would be provision made for that

Pretty easy to artifically water grass and not that difficult to put a shield over it or something in summer to keep the worst of the sun off? I could be wrong but if they can afford 3 swimming pools they ought to be able to afford to maintain 1 grass court to a good standard? One of Nadal's legacies after all, is the "clay courter" that won the first Wimbledon by a Spaniard in x years.

Looks like a mixture of clay and hardcourt mainly but not clear about the grass.

Henman Bill wrote:Pretty easy to artifically water grass and not that difficult to put a shield over it or something in summer to keep the worst of the sun off? I could be wrong but if they can afford 3 swimming pools they ought to be able to afford to maintain 1 grass court to a good standard? One of Nadal's legacies after all, is the "clay courter" that won the first Wimbledon by a Spaniard in x years.

Looks like a mixture of clay and hardcourt mainly but not clear about the grass.

Your probably right given the amount of money they will generate but sure as hell grass wouldn't grow in my neck of the woods when I was in Spain had to have artificial albeit it looked genuine enough.Water was not only expensive but it was nothing unusual to go without rain for 5 or 6 mths at a time. I cant imagine that Rafa would not have a couple of grass courts though some how or other.

I like the post-Tennis career planning each of the current players have. McEnroe (US), Nadal (Spain), Djokovic (Belgrade), Federer (Basle?), Li Na (Beijing), Nishikori (Tokyo), ...

If all these players started similar projects, Tennis would be a wonderful sport attracting many more in the younger generation. It would also help the ATP/WTA/ITF attract players to earn their living as professional athletes.

@H-n.. If these are islands, I think of the Rime of Ancient Mariner

Water, water, every where,
And all the boards did shrink;
Water, water, every where,
Nor any drop to drink.

You can have as many Grass courts as you want. Roman aqueducts should be inspirational for anyone on the coast.

Before I left they were building one of the largest desalination plants in Europe... but then that's on the main land; doesn't matter how much salt water you have you cannot irrigate grass with it.. The sun in Spain can be brutal. I lost so many plants and trees; if the sun in the summer didn't kill them the harsh winds of winter burnt and damaged them.

I particularly like what Rafa is doing.. taking a leaf out of Agassi's book; he is educating them as well as promoting tennis.. these kids won't all make it even if they have aspirations to be professional tennis players. Agassi was denied a proper education by his father and found that tennis was the only way he could earn money..That really is not a way to start a professional tennis career. Its gratifying to know that these young people will be introduced to the sport by someone who has been through it and will also be educated at the same time.

H-n... if you get a chance, go to BC - Jasper, Banff, Lake Louise, Colombia Glacier, Vancouver, Victoria.

The more 'green' there is, the less brutal the Winters and Summers can be.

This article is interesting and surprising to me as I hadn't heard of it, so I would suggest that Rafa's Academy will undoubtedly have grass courts.

http://www.wimbledon.com/en_GB/news/articles/2014-06-10/wimbledon_welcomes_prospect_of_mallorca_grass_court_event.html

So the WTA tournament in Mallorca on grass would presumably be at Rafa's academy. They would need some sort of stadium court, then, or at the very least a lot of space around to throw up temporary seating.

Henman Bill wrote:So the WTA tournament in Mallorca on grass would presumably be at Rafa's academy. They would need some sort of stadium court, then, or at the very least a lot of space around to throw up temporary seating.

Your guess is as good as mine HB but Ill be sure to ask him when he next phones