Rome 2026 Recap 
Thanks so much to everyone who attended our trips to Rome in May for the Italian Open. These are proving to be very popular trips, featuring an ever improving venue, perfect weather and just great company. A special shout out to Bryce from Canada whose fun and entertaining personality contributed greatly to the group bonding. Bryce is positioning himself as a rival to Naomi Osaka for the title of trendiest tennis player on the planet. His attention to detail and colour coordination goes beyond what most club players would aspire to but we love him for it!                                           

Due to the popularity of these trips, we have already planned for 2027 and taken some bookings!

If interested click HERE.

How does playing padel help your tennis?
I recently opened Racket Barn, a new indoor padel and pickleball centre in Glasgow. I'd say that the majority of the tennis players who play padel regularly at our centre are experiencing an improvement in their tennis volleys and smashes.

This is mainly due to the volume of volleys and smashes that you hit in padel compared to tennis. The technique for volleys is also very similar in both sports apart from the swingy vibora shot in padel (which I have yet to master).

Lobs are also used often in padel which is an extremely important shot in tennis doubles in particular. Also, the footwork required to move back for a smash is the same in both sports, and since it happens often in padel, it's another transferable skill.

I am explaining these similarities and mutual benefits because I often hear tennis players worry that playing padel will negatively affect their tennis game. In my opinion it couldn't be farther from the truth, as I explained above. 

So..... why not join us in Sicily at the end of summer where you can develop both your tennis and padel skills at the same time? 

Trapani - 12th to 19th & 19th to 26th September
Click HERE for more info.

Did anyone see the new Stanley Tucci programme on Disney+ where he is touring Sicily in one episode, and he visited Trapani, the town where we host our special tennis/padel holidays? This was a great advert for our amazing location in Sicily. It's a wonderful series of his culinary and cultural trips around Italy which helps one understand the beauty and various charms of Italy.

​Sinner is out so who will win the French Open??                   
Unbelievably Sinner lost in the French Open after experiencing a total loss of energy that he attributed to an illness and not the extreme heat! He was 2 sets and 5-1 up and then only won 2 more games!

This is a great opportunity for someone else to win a slam after Sinner and Alcaraz have dominated for so long.

The top half of the draw is wide open with no real favourites in my opinion. I would give Cobolli the edge in this half but only just with so many other strong clay court players like Tabillo, Francisco Cerundolo and Berrettini. 

The lower half is much stronger with Zverev the favourite but I would think that Djokovic will be delighted that Sinner is out. He has a tough draw needing to get past Fonseca and then maybe Ruud. If he can manage that without expending too much energy, he will be so hard to beat. I hope and think that Ruud could go all the way as he is playing so well and has been in the final before. My outside bet would be on the new young Spanish player, Jodar, who would need to get past Zverev but he has the game to do it.

This is great for the men's game, as there will be a very good chance of a new first time slam champion obviously if Novak doesn't pull it off which would also be good for the game in my view.

All thoughts welcome.

Ian
[email protected] 

​​4. A freshly watered and perfectly dragged clay court, with crisp white lines and that rich red surface glowing in the sun, is one of the most beautiful sights in sport. It belongs in an art gallery. Nietzsche said life is justified through an aesthetic lens — I am choosing to believe he had a soft spot for clay courts.
5. Modern tennis needs clay courts more than ever. They give spectators rallies, variety, creativity, and drama. You see more shapes, more patterns, more problem-solving, and a far greater range of shots. By contrast, men’s doubles at the highest level on hard or grass can sometimes feel over in a blink, with points lasting three shots or fewer.
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So, if you would like to experience the joy of playing on a beautiful clay court — and then watch the world’s best players battle it out in the spectacular marble arenas of the Italian Open — why not join us in Rome from 11–15 May?

(Click through to our Rome Masters web page HERE)

The countdown to Rome has started: May 11th – 15th

From Monty Python's Life of Brian
​So... "What have the Romans ever done for us then? Apart from the sanitation, the medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, a fresh water system, and public health, what have the Romans ever done for us?" 
In modern times I would argue that the Romans have given us the best clay court tournament in the world.

Here are some of the main reasons why it’s so special:
1. One of the most beautiful venues in tennisThe tournament takes place in the historic sports complex of Foro Italico in Rome.
What makes it unique:

• Marble statues line the walkways around the courts
• Classical Italian architecture surrounds the stadiums
• The famous Stadio Pietrangeli court is literally built inside a statue garden

Many players call it one of the most visually stunning places to play tennis.
2. The best clay-court warm-up before Roland-GarrosThe Italian Open is one of the final and most important clay tournaments before the French Open.
Why players value it:

• Conditions are similar to Paris
• It attracts almost every top player from the ATP Tour and WTA Tour
• Winning here is considered a huge indicator of Roland-Garros form.

3. Passionate Italian crowdsItalian fans bring incredible energy:

• Loud and emotional support
• Packed stadiums for local players
• Night sessions with a football-like atmosphere

When Italians like Jannik Sinner or Matteo Berrettini play, the atmosphere becomes electric.
4. Rome itself elevates the tournamentFew tournaments are located in a city as iconic as Rome.
Players and fans can enjoy:

• Ancient sites like the Colosseum
• Italian food and culture
• Warm Mediterranean spring weather

The combination of world-class tennis + historic city makes the experience unforgettable.

In short: the Italian Open blends elite clay-court tennis, a historic setting, passionate crowds, and the culture of Rome—making it one of the most beloved tournaments outside the Grand Slams.
We only have a few spaces left on our Rome Masters Tennis Trip May 11–15 - 

What's included (in addition to Ian and Laura's expertise 24/7)

• 4 nights at the 4 star River Chateau Hotel including breakfast
• Welcome drink at hotel on evening of 11th May - 6-7pm
• 2 hours group coaching each morning 9 - 11am on 12th, 13th & 14th May at a local club
• Grand Stand Arena tickets (stadium court) 12th May, with Centre Court tickets (Campo Centrale) for the afternoon sessions on 13th & 14th May. Tickets also include access to the grounds from start to end of play each day, including all practice and outside courts.

Full details at this link HERE

​To lag or not to lag that is the question?
I see a lot of information online about using lag on the forehand. Is lag the key to improving racket head speed?On a good forehand, racket lag usually happens naturally when:

• you load and rotate well
• your hand leads
• the racket head stays back briefly
• then it releases through contact

That lag can help with racket-head speed and topspin. But trying to “manufacture” extra lag often causes:

• late contact
• wristy swings
• loss of control
• arm or wrist strain

Best approach:

• focus on the unit turn, spacing, and leading with the body and hand
• keep the wrist relaxed, not floppy
• let the lag appear as a result of good mechanics

So: use it, but don’t force it. Natural lag is good. Artificial lag is usually harmful.
A simple cue is: turn, lead with the hand, then release through the ball.
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Or even better come on a
Tuscan Tennis Holiday
and we'll show you how to do it!

All comments welcome - [email protected]

New Grand Stand Arena at the Rome Masters!
There will be a new stadium court built for the Rome Masters which will be in a great position near the Olympic swimming pool. This will replace the older arena (of the same name) and is a great addition for our special Rome trips in May.
Stadium tickets which are part of our special 4 day trips to Rome also allow access to the wonderful outside courts which have lots of seating and great viewing, and also access to the practice courts.
We are now full for the 7-11 May but still have some spaces on the 11-15 May trip. Full details at this link HERE
 
11th to 15th May 2026 (Adults Only)
What's included (in addition to Ian and Laura's expertise 24/7)

• 4 nights at the 4 star River Chateau Hotel including breakfast
• Welcome drink at hotel on evening of 11th May - 6-7pm
• 2 hours group coaching each morning 9 - 11am on 12th, 13th & 14th May at a local club
• Grand Stand Arena tickets (stadium court) 12th May, with Centre Court tickets (Campo Centrale) for the afternoon sessions on 13th & 14th May. Tickets also include access to the grounds from start to end of play each day, including all practice and outside courts.

Cost: 
£1,595 per person (based on two sharing a classic room) or £1895 per person (based on 2 sharing a junior suite)
£1,795 per person (single room use) - limited single rooms available 
(Excluding flights/airport transfers/local council tax at hotel - 7.50€ per person per night)
£200 deposit per person to secure place
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Player to look out for at the Slams
(and in Rome too!)
Jakub Mensik
20 year old Mensik looks like the real deal in the way he disposed of Jannik Sinner in Qatar. His ball striking and mental stability is quite impressive and in addition he has one of the best serves on the tour.  
If I were a gambler, I'd put money on him winning a slam at some point. Anyone who can outhit Sinner has to be a force to be reckoned with.

Is it better to rally or play points in order to improve your tennis?
Instagram and the internet always provide "interesting" points of view. I've seen a few recently where the coach is advocating for people to play points rather than rallying to make real progression in the game. His argument is that rallying is nothing like the game where you are trying to receive the ball well and send it to difficult places for your opponent etc. Obviously this is the case in matchplay but I would argue that feeding balls for someone to get a feel of a better or more effective technique also has its place. 
 
When a player feels more in control of a shot , they can progress to doing it with movement with conditioned drills and finally to open play. The development of stress should be progressive or it would be like learning to swim by being thrown in at the deep end. You may learn to survive but maybe not have a great technique.
 
There are so many factors in learning to play tennis and as much as I would love the easy option of a simple approach of just playing points it just ain't that easy in my view! I am all for playing points in many shapes and forms but it is only one element of a multi faceted approach to improve your game. If you look at the training on court of many of the famous pros they will do similar drills including hand feeds, basket feeds, rally feeds and many other feeds depending upon  what outcome they are trying to achieve.
 
Be careful what you watch online and always question why they are doing it. Tennis is a tricky game to learn with no easy answers unfortunately.

As always all comments welcome, Ian
[email protected]

Tuscan Tennis Special Hosted Trips in 2026
We are really excited to announce for 2026 that we have decided to visit Rome, Florence and Trapani (Sicily). 
 
So, which one might be best suited for you?

See our guide below to help you choose -

Rome
7th to 11th May or 11th to 15th May
 
Choose Rome for a tennis holiday that pairs top-class coaching with an unbeatable city experience. You’ll spend four nights in Rome in a superb 4-star hotel, with expert tuition on lovely clay courts to sharpen your game. Afternoons are reserved for the magic of the Italian Open, where you can watch the world’s best players up close and soak in the tournament atmosphere. Then, as the sun goes down, the city is yours — evenings dining in the heart of Rome, surrounded by its iconic streets, piazzas, and unmistakable Italian buzz. It’s the perfect blend of tennis, tournament spectacle, and la dolce vita.

Full Rome info HERE
Florence
29th August to 5th September
Choose Florence for a late-summer tennis week long escape that’s equal parts sport and Tuscany. At the end of August, you can expect warm, sunny days with temperatures typically in the high 20s, perfect for clay-court tennis. You’ll play at one of Italy’s nicest and best-equipped clubs, boasting 16 courts — most of them clay — and enjoy a lively programme of expert coaching, social play, and fun competitive events. Set in the glorious Tuscan countryside, the club is only a 10-minute drive from the centre of Florence, so your afternoons and evenings can be filled with world-class art, architecture, food, and atmosphere. With so much cultural richness on your doorstep, Florence offers an unbeatable blend of tennis holiday energy and unforgettable Italian living.
 
Full Florence info HERE
Trapani (Sicily)
12th to 19th September or 19th to 26th September
Choose Trapani for the ultimate Sicily sports-and-sun week long escape — and our only venue where tennis and padel tennis share the spotlight equally. Based in the charming coastal town of Trapani, just below Palermo, you’ll play in a stunning seaside setting with that laid-back Sicilian vibe all around. The location also gives you easy access to the Egadi Islands, perfect for boat trips to spectacular bays and crystal-clear water.
Trapani was our most popular trip in 2025, so for 2026 we’re running it two weeks in a row, timed for mid to late September — arguably the best period for perfect weather without the peak-summer crowds. Add in what many call the best food in Italy (and that’s saying something), and you’ve got a holiday that’s as memorable off court as it is on it.
On court, expect a full programme of tennis tuition, plenty of hosted social play, and fun padel tennis competitive events that keep the week lively, friendly, and brilliantly addictive. Trapani is Sicily at its most welcoming — a gorgeous place to improve your game, enjoy padel properly, and soak up island life.

Full Trapani info HERE
If the dates for our special hosted weeks don't suit please contact Laura with your preferred dates and we will help you choose the best offering for your needs at that particular time of year.
[email protected]

Highlights of 2025 
The year was dominated by the Alcaraz v Sinner rivalry with the French Open final being the pinnacle of their incredible battles. In my view this match should have been called a draw. as win or lose they are always both winners. It demonstrated not only their amazing sporting prowess (in the most difficult sport on planet earth), but also the fantastic sportsmanship which will hopefully help competitive tennis players all over the world strive for humility first and foremost.
I am in awe of both of these young men and their ability to compete so fiercely but at the same time maintain a wonderful perspective on life and all the things that really matter. In this era of narcissistic dictators and many other poor role models in the social media world it feels like we need all the young famous sports people to rise up and lead on the important values of life such as humility,decency,honesty and fairness.
In the women's game Jasmine Paolini may not have won a grand slam (yet) but is the female player whose values would appear to be most in line with Carlos and Jannik.  Like Alcaraz, her ability to do it all with a sense of fun and good humour is heart warming and wonderful for young girls to see all over the world.

What to expect in 2026?
Unfortunately, for the men they are in real trouble if Alcaraz and Sinner continue to keep improving as a result of this incredible rivalry. Novak accepts that they are too good for him and yet he continues to beat everyone else when it matters most! Of the contenders to challenge our new kings I would like to think that Jack Draper has the physicality and determination to get close and maybe Fonseca, as he seems to have that special something which might separates him from the others over the next year or so.
For the women I would like to see Rybakina become more consistent with her wonderful ball striking and I would love to see Sabalenka grow up and gain some humility. Coco Gauff would be my preferred choice to dominate the sport which could happen with a more solid serve and forehand. Nothing that she doesn't already know but she just doesn't seem to be able to find the key to this problem area.
For the game in general it would be good if they could all get together and sort out the debate on players being expected to play too much, the masters events over 2 weeks and the mess that is the Davis Cup. I'm not convinced that taking many big events to Saudi is particularly good for the game either. 
Like many things in life, common sense doesn't always prevail as there are too many financial and political factors at play. I almost never agree with Novak on anything but I do concur with him that the players themselves need to rise up and help to sort it out. 

My favourite quote of the year:

It came from Alcaraz after the French Open final when he said  “I think the real champions are made in situations when you deal with that pressure, with those situations, in the best way possible,” 

And isn't that why we love tennis because of these incredible moments?
 
Any thoughts/comments on any of the above would be greatly appreciated.
[email protected]

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If these dates don’t suit you, no worries! We also offer tailored trips to suit your personal requirements, at any of our stunning locations throughout the year.
For more information or to secure your spot, please get in touch with Laura at [email protected]. We can’t wait to welcome you to Italy in 2026 for an unforgettable tennis experience!
Hope to see you on court! 

​Does Medvedev need help or just disqualified?

The US Open has just started and we experienced yet another unfortunate Medvedev moment where he went crazy over the umpire awarding a 1st serve to his opponent (Benjamin Bonzi) at match point up. A photographer mistakenly walked along the back of the court after Bonzi's 1st serve so the rules state that the 1st serve is repeated. Simple, yes?

It would appear that Medvedev used this opportunity to create mayhem by complaining aggressively to the umpire for 6 minutes and getting the New York crowd excited and extremely loud (they never need much of an excuse). Medvedev also smashed a racquet which he generally does.

Fortunately Bonzi eventually won the match in 5 sets but once again Medvedev showed the eccentric side of his personality. He has not been having a very successful time on court for a while now and the question has been asked by many including Boris Becker if he needs some mental help. His reaction in the post match interview was one of someone in complete denial of his behaviour.

Apart from the usual role model issues for young kids I feel that the tour should intervene by offering some therapy as he would appear not to be in the best mental condition. Fining him will not make any difference and I've had enough of these kinds of antics from many players. Offer them help and if not taken then the umpires and tournament referees must be stronger. 

For example if a rule was introduced that if a player intentionally breaks a racquet, they are disqualified immediately, would anyone do so?? This may not be the only solution to the privileged few who regularly implode but it could be a start? The pundits generally condone racquet breaking as a necessary act for the player to calm down. If that was the case why did the greatest competitor of all time (Nadal) never break a racquet? Nadal has to thank Uncle Tony and good parents for that one.

On the positive side there are so many potential great match ups to come in both the men's and women's events. Looking forward to seeing Jacob Fearnley play Zverev and to see if Raducanu can maintain her good form and keep a coach for the entire tournament! Hoping for a Sinner v Alcaraz final but it will be interesting to see how Novak fares??

Any thoughts or ideas on how to improve the game are always appreciated.

[email protected]