Preparation in tennis paradise: Bahia del Duque in Tenerife
Every year, pre-Christmas tennis professionals travel to Tenerife to prepare for the new season in the impressive Bahia del Duque hotel complex . On the Spanish holiday island there are conditions that couldn't be better - even for hobby players. Trainer Günter Bresnik explains the advantages of the tennis paradise.
by tennisnet.com
last edit: Dec 23, 2019, 06:03 pm
"It was the best preparation I've ever had," enthuses Jan-Lennard Struff in the tennisnet interview . In December 2018 he got on the plane towards Tenerife, a few months later he reached his previous placement in the ATP ranking with 33rd place. He always cited season preparation as the key to his success in the 2019 season.
This preparation took place in the "Bay of the Prince", in the Hotel Bahia del Duque on the Canary Island. "They are trying very hard there," Bresnik explains in an interview with tennisnet . The experienced coach organizes a training camp every year, which should ideally prepare his charges for the tennis season.
Bresnik on Bahia del Duque: “Exceptionally Personal”
While most hotels in Tenerife are part of global chains, Bahia del Duque is privately owned. “It makes a big difference and makes up the atmosphere. The staff will quickly call you by name and know your preferences from day two, ”says Bresnik. “Despite the size, it is extraordinarily personal. It feels like a village. "
The hotel itself is luxurious, but quite affordable - even for amateur athletes. The complex offers two excellent gyms, swimming pools with extensive wellness areas and various restaurants. As a showpiece, tennis players will also find two courts on the site - identical to those at the Australian Open.
The advantages of the Bahia del Duque for tennis players are obvious: from the German-speaking area, the island can be reached in four to five hours of flight time, and there is only an hour difference. The weather in the winter months is ideal, especially there is hardly any wind - a perfect way out in cold winter months.
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“For the mood, the sun is incredibly good. Either way, you can see the training hall at home long enough, ”explains Bresnik, who also mentions the health benefits. "You can only be infected by someone else. Even getting sick in Tenerife is difficult. ”The average temperature in December during the day is 20 and 25 degrees.
Bresnik's protégé Ernests Gulbis originally brought in the idea of flying to Tenerife in preparation. The Latvian has his own house on the island, whose physiotherapist also worked as head of physiotherapy in the Bahia del Duque.
Today the tennis stars are in charge: Maria Sharapova, Kim Clijsters and Karolina Pliskova contested their season preparation there in the past, as did David Goffin, Philipp Kohlschreiber and Andrey Rublev. Dominic Thiem was also a guest for many years with long-term coach Bresnik.
Tenerife as a tennis paradise: top infrastructure
The infrastructure outside the hotel also makes athletes' hearts beat faster. A few kilometers away is an athletics center, where Jürgen Klopp and Liverpool FC are regular guests. A running route opens up along the sea, on which Bresnik regularly encounters amateur triathletes or professional golfers. "They have their own sandy beach, for me the most beautiful on Tenerife," enthuses Bresnik about the sea access of the Bahia del Duque.
“I'm actually a friend of altitude training camps. But the big disadvantage is that you are always isolated, ”Bresnik explains. “It is completely open there, everything is accessible - very different than when you go to a mountain hotel where no one is. Many professional golfers are also there regularly. ”This company of professional athletes creates a good atmosphere.
Not least because of this, Bresnik always gets a lot of calls from abroad whether a place in his training camp is free. This year he traveled to Spain earlier than in previous years - as early as November. Around ten players - mostly from our own academy - were there, including Gulbis, Jerzy Janowicz, Julia Grabher and Mira Antonitsch.
The Bahia del Duque is pleased that the hotel has developed a reputation as a tennis paradise. "It is a dream for the entire region that we are part of the pre-season for many ATP players," says Antonio Diaz, COO of the owner company of the "Tennis Paradise", on tennisnet demand.
Diaz himself was a very good college player and still competes on the ITF Senior Tour today. His wife is also General Manager of Bahia del Duque. “We love the atmosphere and the energy that men and women bring with them. We want to provide the best possible service, ”says Diaz. A service that is an absolute must for tennis lovers.
Click here for the Bahia del Duque homepage !
