Tennis holidays for beginners

Tennis is an inclusive activity at all of our beachclubs across Sardinia, Croatia and Greece where we have courts. The courts are free to hire and play on whenever you are, as long as they’re not in use for coaching sessions. Just use the simple booking sheet available at your beachclub for ‘free play’ time.

There are seven courts at Messini Beachclub (shared with Buca Beachclub); six at Alana Beachlub; four at Baia dei Mori and the Retreat; three at Portomyrina Palace and Aeolian Village; and two at Vounaki. If you want to play into the evening when the temperature is cooler, or you want to maximise time lying on the beach when the sun is out, the courts at Aeolian Village are flood-lit.

Equipment is free to use so you don’t need to worry about bringing anything with you. Just a pair of trainers and some sun-cream! Everything else is included in the price of your holiday. To give you the best experience possible, we provide equipment from renowned French experts Babolat, one of the oldest companies specialising in racket sports.

Hiring a court for ‘free play’ is great if you want to play and learn with your friends and family but to really get your game going, we recommend beginners take advantage of the free group coaching sessions. These take place daily so you can master the basics.

Free group tennis coaching sessions are available to all guests at beachclubs where we have courts. You’ll be grouped by ability so you can learn and play with players at a similar level. Not sure what your tennis ability is? Don’t worry, you won’t have to do a test. Find out what tennis level you are before you step foot on the courts.

If you’re a beginner, our ‘green group’ sessions will teach you the basic techniques, movements and rules of the game. In the first half of the week you’ll experience forehand, backhand, volley and serving. In the second half, you’ll work on returning shots and some basic match play tactics. All group sessions end with a game and our coaches aim to keep the sessions fun and flexible, so that you stay motivated and enjoy your time on court.

At the end of the week we run a mini-tournament for beginners so you can practice the skills you’ve learnt. Everyone is welcome to take part and it’s a great way to celebrate how far you have come and get some extra practice in.

Group tennis coaching for beginners takes place for an hour every day at all of our beachclubs with courts. If you want to have a go, simply sign up at the start of your holiday to the beginners ‘green group’.

Don’t forget, we also offer tennis coaching for keen young players in our Sharksters and Surf Squad children’s clubs throughout the school holidays. Find out more about tennis coaching for kids.

If you think you would benefit from some one-on-one tuition, our expert tennis coaches offer private coaching at an extra cost. One-on-one tuition is good for beginners who lack confidence or want to up their game against a friend or family member. It can help you iron out a particular problem, such as footwork, in less time than it would in a group session.

Private coaching is available at all of our beachclubs with courts for approximately £32 per hour and £20 for 30 minutes (charged in local currency). You can also book in blocks of three, four or five lessons. All private coaching can be booked at the beginning of your holiday and is subject to availability.

All of our beachclubs with tennis courts are great for beginners, but if you are really keen to learn to play tennis on holiday then we recommend:

• Aeolian Village, Greece: Situated on the island of Lesvos with three flood-lit astro courts you’ll be able to practice when the light fade and the temperature cools.
• Vounaki, Greece: Master the basics in less windy conditions at this relaxed beachclub on the mainland with two courts.
• Messini, Greece: Our flagship tennis beachclub has seven astro courts and offers a premium tennis package for players looking for more intensive coaching.