15 Best Tennis Academies In The World (2023 Rankings)

If you study most of the elite tennis players on the professional circuit, you will find that they all have one thing in common. To become a professional athlete, you have to train like one, and most successful tennis players were or are part of a tennis academy.

Highly-rated tennis academies focus on physical and emotional training, nutrition, education, and everything in between.

Here are the 15 best tennis academies in the world.

1. IMG Academy

IMG Academy is the gold standard when measuring a tennis academy. Here student-athletes are armed with a personalized strategy for growth, challenged by a competitive tournament schedule, and a focus on performing academically and on the sports field.

Founded by tennis coaching legend and pioneer of the sporting boarding school, Nick Bollettieri, students at the IMG Academy are taught what it takes to succeed in college, on the professional tennis tour, and in life.

Athletic and Personal Development educators focus on important areas such as mental strength, nutrition, leadership and life skills, character development, fitness, and more. The IMG Academy aims to produce the best version of attendees as athletes and students.

With over 40 years of experience, the IMG Academy has a total of 55 courts (34 hard, 17 clay, and 4 indoor) and has trained some of the best tennis players, including Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Jim Courier, Maria Sharapova, Monica Seles, and Kei Nishikori.

Pros

Over 40 Years Of Experience
Largest Sport Complex In The World
Original Sports Boarding School
Over 50 Courts

Cons

Most Expensive Tennis Academy In The World ($66,400 – $88,900)

2. Mouratoglou Tennis Academy

The Mouratoglou Tennis Academy is the brainchild of the former coach of one of the greatest woman players of all time Serena Williams. Simona Halep, Coco Gauff, and Stefano Tsitsipas use the facility as a training base.

Patrick Mouratoglou’s vision of building a training facility that caters to every athlete’s specific needs has resulted in the most modern sports training facility in Europe, spanning 12 hectares, located 30-minutes from Cannes, France.

Here the coaches’ focus is to provide every prospect with a unique training plan and a personalized coaching experience. Life skills and access to US Universities via scholarships are high priorities for the Mouratoglou Tennis Academy, as not all students will turn out to be champions in tennis.

With over 320 days of sunshine a year and state-of-the-art sports facilities, the Mouratoglou Tennis Academy is a very popular destination for intensive outdoor tennis.

Pros

Access To US Universities Via Scholarships (60 Players Per Year)
Owner Coached Serena Williams
Excellent Sports Facilities (34 Courts)
Features All Grand Slam Court Surfaces
ATP Players Use Facility As Training Base

Cons

Very Expensive Yearly Fees
Expensive Private Lessons
Only 35 Coaches For 180 Student-Athletes

3. Emilio Sanchez Academy

Emilio Sanchez is a former doubles world no. 1 tennis player who managed to win 5 Grand Slam doubles titles and a silver at the 1988 Olympic Games. Today he has tennis academies worldwide, including Barcelona, Florida, Atlanta, and Nanjing. The Emilio Sanchez Academy Barcelona was the first that Sanchez opened with Sergio Casal.

High-profile tennis stars who graduated from here are Feliciano Lopez, Janko Tipsarevic, Juan Monaco, and Andy Murray. Ana Ivanovic and Svetlana Kuznetsova famously won French Opens after perfecting their games at the Emilio Sanchez Academy.

The Emilio Sanchez Academy is well-known for its awesome training programs that combine education and high-performance tennis training. The ES American School, found on all Emilio Sanchez Academy campuses, is an authorized IB World School, ensuring that education doesn’t take a back seat when training to become the next tennis star.

The Emilio Sanchez Academy Florida is situated in Naples. It has a staggering 38 tennis courts, an international school, an Olympic swimming pool, a Performance Training Center, accommodation, and a restaurant, ensuring student-athletes have everything they need on campus.

Pros

Academies On 3 Continents
Multiple Grand Slam Winners Have Trained Here
Authorized IB World School
38 Tennis Courts At Florida Branch

Cons

Very Expensive For A 10 Month “Year”

4. Saddlebrook Tennis Academy

Located in Tampa, Florida, Saddlebrook Tennis Academy was founded by Australian tennis player Harry Hopman, who moved to the States after his career ended. Suppose you are looking for one of the best tennis academies in the world, then the Harry Hopman Academy is where you should start the search.

The Academy at Saddlebrook features courts with all 4 Grand Slam surfaces and has 40+ courts to train on. Golf courses, pools, and spas are also available. The famous youth program at Saddlebrook has trained elite tennis players such as Alexander Zverev, Pete Sampras, Jennifer Capriati, and John Isner.

Saddlebrook attracts young tennis players from across the globe, offering boarding and non-boarding options. The junior training camps consist of up to 5-hour of court instructions, match play, and performance training.

The Saddlebrook Academy caters to all types of players and individual needs, be it a 5-hour-a-day program, a quick lesson, or a few sets between resort guests.

Pros

Features Courts With All 4 Grand Slam Surfaces
Luxury Setting
Boarding Available
40+ Courts Available

Cons

Full-time Boarding Is Expensive ($63,000+)

5. Tipsarevic Tennis Academy

The Tipsarevic Tennis Academy is located in Belgrade, Serbia, and the founder is former ATP player Janko Tipsarevic. Training programs consist of weekly, monthly, and yearly options.

To ensure that the new generation of players is exposed to only the best training techniques and programs, Tipsarevic put together an elite team of coaches, managers, and fitness trainers he worked with during his playing days.

When enrolling at Tipsarevic Tennis Academy, all aspects of training are taken care of, including accommodation, fitness, nutrition, transportation, and tournament planning. Each coach is in charge of 3-4 players and submits a weekly progress report to the head coach Mica Ratkovic and owner Tipsarevic to ensure a steady growth process.

Laslo Djere, Dusan Lajovic, and Miomir Kecmanovic are some players who train at the Tipsarevic Tennis Academy.

Pros

Variety Of Training Options
Elite Team Of Coaches
Tournament Planning Included
Beautiful Accommodation

Cons

Not All Students Prefer Online Schooling

6. Rafa Nadal Academy

The Rafa Nadal Academy is located in Manacor, where the 14-time French Open Champion was born. It has 26 tennis courts. An English international school, a pool, Rafa Museum, and a few padel courts are available to members.

With Toni Nadal as the Head Coach and Carlos Moya as the Technical Director; the Rafa Nadal Academy offers enrollees a chance to be coached by the best while offering schooling at the Rafa Nadal International School for young players looking to study and play tennis at the same time.

Players at this magnificent tennis academy get access to 19 hard courts, 13 clay courts, 7 semi-indoor clay courts, 4 indoor courts, a fitness center, a wellness spa, and one of the healthiest restaurants in the area called the Sports Café.

Casper Ruud came to Rafa’s Academy, ranked No. 138 in the world in 2018. Four years later, Casper is ranked No. 3 and a 2-time Grand Slam finalist (Lost to Rafa in the French Open Final in 2022.)

Pros

Academy Of The Leading Men Grand Slam Winner
Toni Nadal Is The Head Coach
Magnificent Facilities (40+ Courts)
Rafa Nadal International School
Rafa Museum

Cons

Very Expensive Tennis Academy ($60,000+)
Rafa Nadal Hardly visits The Academy

7. Good To Great Tennis Academy

The founders of Good To Great Tennis Academy, retired ATP players Magnus Norman, Mikael Tillström, and Nicklas Kulti, who all played at an elite level and were winners of the Davis Cup for Sweden. Players are coached and developed under the Academy’s CARE (Concentration – Attitude – Respect – Energy) concept.

The Good To Great Tennis Academy provides six distinct courses for juniors, each with different requirements and a coach-to-player ratio of 1 to 3. The accommodation comes in the form of 18 dorms which can be rented long or short term, all meals are included, and a supervisor monitors the students.

The three founders of Good To Great Tennis Academy are hands-on coaches, so if you ever wanted the chance to be coached by players who played in the ATP or who have coached players like Stan Wawrinka, Grigor Dimitrov, and Gael Monfils, then the Collector Bank Arena in Danderyd, Stockholm is the place to enroll.

Pros

Coaches Are Former ATP Players
6 Junior Training Programs
Supervised Dorm Accommodation

Cons

No Swimming Pool
Limited Dorm Space

8. Saviano High Performance Tennis Academy

You won’t find a more experienced tennis coach than Nick Saviano. Nick has over 45 years of tennis experience in his makeup, playing for 9 years on the ATP tour, following that up with 35 years as a world-class, high-performance coach.

Under Coach Nick Saviano, over 75 players have graduated to successful tennis careers on the WTA and ATP tours, such as Grand Slam winner Sloane Stevens and Grand Slam finalist Eugene Bouchard.

Saviano High Performance Tennis Academy offers a range of flexible training programs that include full-time morning, full-time afternoon, part-time after-school, holiday programs, and summer camps in Davie, Florida.

Saviano High Performance Tennis Academy offers a full-time Developmental Program that incorporates academia with sport via a traditional classroom setting at the American Heritage School, ranked the No. 1 Private School in the nation.

Pros

No. 1 Private School In The US
Head Coach Is Nick Saviano
75+ Players Graduated To WTA And ATP Tours
American Heritage School

Cons

Limited Student-Athlete Space
Expensive Semester Price

9. Barcelona Tennis Academy

A large number of Europe’s and the world’s finest tennis players have been trained at prestigious academies in the Barcelona area of Spain, which has earned a worldwide reputation for its high-quality tennis training.

The Andres Gimeno Tennis Club is where the Barcelona Tennis Academy runs its training programs. Academy members have access to the club’s amenities, including the fitness center, swimming pool, and padel courts. The club is just 15 kilometers from the heart of Barcelona and is only a 10-minute drive from the airport and the beach.

Raphael Maurer, a Swiss tennis coach and sports manager, oversee the training programs at the Barcelona Tennis Academy. Players can choose from weekly, monthly, annual, and personalized individual or group training sessions.

Enrollees get access to a team of highly-experienced coaches, sports psychologists, fitness trainers, and a physiotherapist, whose collective goal is to get every player to reach their fullest potential. Catalonia also hosts several prestigious international tennis events that draw top junior, ITF, WTA, and ATP players.

Pros

Access To Sport Psychologist And Physiotherapist
International Tennis Tournaments In The Area
Personalized Training Programs
Fairly Priced Compared To Other Academies

Cons

Limited Student-Athlete Space
No Accommodation On Premises

10. Evert Tennis Academy

Chris Evert is an 18-time Grand Slam winner and, with her brother John Evert, an international coach and academy director, run a tennis academy that operates at a very high level. Located in the Mission Bay area of Boca Raton, Florida, the Evert Tennis Academy offers specialized curricula focusing on technical instruction and mental, tactical, and physical preparation.

Grandview Preparatory School is an NCAA-Approved college preparatory high school located on the campus and perfect for student-athletes. Training is divided into weekly, pre-tournament, summer camps, holiday camps, and full-time, and semester tennis programs.

Boarding is available for players aged 13.5 to 18 years old in a three-story dormitory fitted with counselor rooms and a cafeteria serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner with an emphasis on meal variety and nutrition.

To ensure that student-athletes maintain a healthy balance between academics and sports training, the Evert Tennis Academy’s premier location is put to great use. Trips to Miami’s Gold Coast, art galleries, South Florida’s Performing Arts Centers, and attending professional sporting events of the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MBL are encouraged.

Pros

Head Coach Chris Evert (18 Grand Slams)
NCCA-Approved College Preparatory High School
Close To Miami’s Gold Coast
Various Training Options (Pre-Tournament, Summer Camps, Full-Time, Semester Programs)

Cons

Boarding Options Only For Athletes 13.5 Years And Older
Year Program Is Expensive ($59,000+)

11. Piatti Tennis Center

The Piatti Tennis Center is a specialized tennis training center for young players assisted by a team of excellent tennis coaches, fitness trainers, mental coaches, and health professionals. The center is also open to the general public, who can participate in various camps and programs during the year.

The Piatti Tennis Center is 20 minutes from Monaco in Bordighera, Italy. Athletes have access to 4 hard courts, 2 gym facilities, a mental gym, a recovery pool, a sauna, a treatment room, and a video analysis room. Residents can choose from 10–12-month and 10–12-month half-day programs.

Founder and coach Riccardo Piatti is an experienced tennis professional who’s worked with many top players, including Ivan Ljubicic, Milos Raonic, and Richard Gasquet. Jannik Sinner attended the Piatti Tennis Center from age 13 to 20, and Piatti has worked with Maria Sharapova, Fabio Fognini, Novak Djokovic, and currently, Borna Coric.

Pros

Coach Riccardo Piatti
2 Gym Facilities And A Mental Gym
Video Analysis Room
Many ATP Players Train Here

Cons

Does Not Offer Full Board
Limited Courts
45-minutes From Nearest Airport

12. Van Der Meer Tennis Academy

The legendary Dennis Van Der Meer founded Van Der Meer Tennis Academy. Dennis was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2021 and has coached many a champion. Known as the “Pro’s Pro,” Dennis was also the coach of Billie Jean King when she participated in the famous “Battle of the Sexes” match.

Van Der Meer Tennis Academy adapts its coaching methods to suit individual needs and goals, incorporating a fitness program that challenges the user. One of Van Der Meer Tennis Academy’s main goals is for its full-time players to earn college scholarships and become respectable and responsible citizens.

Van Der Meer Tennis Academy offers various schooling options that combine well with their full-time student-athletes. Visitor programs and summer camps are some of the shorter programs available. There are 2 facilities on Hilton Head Island, which are perfectly situated near the beach, shopping malls, accommodations, and restaurants.

Van Der Meer Tennis Center is the primary location where Academy players train and feature 17 hard courts and a pro shop with a certified stringer. The Van Der Meer Shipyard Racquet Club is a mile from the Tennis Center and features 13 Har-Tru courts, 7 hard courts, and 3 indoor courts.

Pros

Various Schooling Options
2 Facilities On Hilton Head Island (Combination Of 40 Courts)
Reasonably Priced Compared To Other Academies

Cons

Courts Are Open To Resort Residents And People On Holiday

13. Alexander Waske Tennis University

The Alexander Waske Tennis University is the brainchild of Alexander Waske and his partner Rainer Schüttler, ex-Davis Cup players. The Tennis University is situated at Offenbach Am Main, close to the German city of Frankfurt. Several high-profile players, such as Kerber, Melzer, Petkovic, and Haas, have trained here.

Alexander Waske Tennis University is known for its iconic Buffalo mascot. At the end of each year, players from the Juniors, ITF, WTA, and ATP are rewarded with the “Buffalo of the Year” award. The award is for players who worked hard, displayed a positive attitude, and achieved on the sports field.

Alexander Waske Tennis University provides popular training options such as Easter and Summer Camps and the all-inclusive Junior package. ITF players can choose from specialized training programs that are inclusive of accommodation.

Pros

Good Coach To Player Ratio 1:2
Ex-Davis Cup Players Run The Academy
Specialized ITF Training Plans
Buffalo Of The Year Award

Cons

Limited To 30 Athletes
Only 13 Courts On Premises

14. John McEnroe Tennis Academy

The John McEnroe Tennis Academy is an $18 million, 20-court tennis complex on Sportime Randall’s Island, Manhattan, New York. The complex was designed by Ricardo Zurita and is the largest tennis facility in New York.

Founded by tennis legend John McEnroe, the John McEnroe Tennis Academy offers training to children as young as 3-5. Adult and junior players are provided with a special Athletic Development model that encompasses conditioning, strength training, sports science and medicine, and hydration, all wrapped up in a personalized training plan.

Membership gives you certain benefits, such as access to the gym with added one-on-one training, locker rooms, steam rooms, pro shop, classrooms, and more. Adult training options include group kinetics programs.

Pros

Biggest Tennis Facility In New York
High Number Of Courts (20)
Special Athletic Development Plan
Under $150 Per Month Per Student

Cons

37 Coaches Are Responsible For Training 900 Students

15. Soto Tennis Academy

Soto Tennis Academy is located in Sotogrande, Costa Del Sol, Spain. Established in 2010 by Vicki and Dan Kiernan, this boutique-styled tennis academy is all about personalized, high-quality training programs for performance players.

Groups and competition-level players can access European red clay and American-styled hard courts. Training at Soto Tennis Academy focuses on performance planning, sports science support, strength and conditioning, and local and international tournament support.

In partnership with Sotogrande International School, Soto Tennis Academy gives players a good balance between academics and sports. Many graduates gain scholarships with American Universities through the Tennis Smart initiative implemented by the Soto Tennis Academy.

Accommodation at Soto Tennis Academy consists of academy player houses, international school boarding houses, and host family houses.

Pros