Umag Tennis Academy
With the ATP Vegeta Croatia Open around the corner, tennis fans everywhere and the sea in the backyard, Umag is the perfect place for the impressive Umag Tennis Academy, which opened in 2013. With its 25 clay courts (of which four enclosed and eight floodlit), one hard court, fitness centre, saunas, diagnostic rooms, a tennis equipment store, restaurant, bar and the sea just a few footsteps away, it is an attractive and inspiring place to practice. Especially as Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic himself is dedicated to the academy. Alen Greblo, director of the Umag Tennis Academy: “It is great to have him connected to our Academy. Goran not just wants to attach his name to it, but he really wants to be involved. He is going to be around here and coach the kids that train here. He is an inspiring player; seriously, but also layback and funny to work with.”
“It is not all sunshine in your career. Sometimes you go up and sometimes you go down. I went through all these phases and can give the kids technical, tactical and mental advice.”
The best coaches are ex-players
What does the former number two of the world likes about working with kids? “Tennis gave me everything, so I think I should give something back. Especially to the talented kids practicing in Croatia.” In the summer the Wimbledon champion runs a PRO camp for six weeks where he will closely supervise its activities, participate in trainings, drills and on-the-court-tactical development of the tennis talents. Goran is convinced that the best coaches are ex-players. “I tell them what I have learned in my professional career and what you have to do to become a professional. It is not easy. Sometimes you go up and sometimes you go down,” he explains passionately. “I went through all these phases and can give these kids technical, tactical and mental advice.” How he recognizes the kids who really have a shot at being a pro in the future? “You can see it in one minute, looking at how they hit the ball, the way they move and how they think. Although, this is of course no guarantee for how good they are going to become. I saw a lot of great talents that didn’t make it and less talented players who made it. I tell everybody who wants to be a great player to just come to the academy to learn and improve.”
“And then everybody goes crazy and it is a mess. You have to start slowly and develop. You cannot be extremely good overnight. You have to take one step at the time.”
Not straight to university
What does it take to be a tennis pro in the future? “Well, tennis is an individual sport and I think the parents of a lot of kids lose themselves somewhere and that is not good. In that case the kids practice so much and they are chasing results. They might not work on their technique enough. Then they come to a certain stage where they start losing and they panic. They probably start practicing even more and more and the kids go crazy. And the parents go even more crazy. And then everybody goes crazy and it is a mess. You have to start slowly and develop. You cannot be extremely good overnight. You have to take one step at the time. You first have to go to kindergarten, then to school and after that to university. Some kids want to go straight to university, that won’t work.”
“On the court, you are alone and nobody can help you.”
A game of chess
Next to on-court-practices the Umag Tennis Academy also offers facilities to improve the physical shape of the players. There is a gym and fitness available and after every training session a physical training is provided. And what about facilities to support players mentally? “We didn’t work on an extensive mental supports program yet, but we can always create possibilities.” Though, Goran himself does not believe in talking to sports psychologists. “I tried everything, but in the end it worked best if I would just talk to myself in the mirror. Tennis should not become like a game of chess including hours of talking to different people. So much talking is not working, you have to go on court. I’m not against somebody talking to you about something, but it should not be too much. On the court, you are alone and nobody can help you.”
From leisure to full intensity
As this article shows, The Umag Tennis Academy is ‘a place where you can learn to play tennis or improve your skills with the assistance of experienced coaches, a Wimbledon champion, using top infrastructure immersed in the perfect surroundings.’ The academy provides programs intended for all age groups and all levels, from amateurs to professionals. From programs for leisure to the full intensity Tennis PRO Camp of Goran Ivanisevic for children aged 10-18. Let’s hope this Academy can welcome many young talents and tennis lovers. And who knows, the Academy might even bring forth a future Wimbledon champion.
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