Tennis Center "Rafa Nadal" to open in Mexico

Tennis player Rafael Nadal took a new step in his career as an entrepreneur and announced that he will open the "Rafa Nadal Tennis Centre" sports center in Costa Mujeres, north of Cancun, one of the main Mexican tourist destinations.

This will be the first sports center of the Nadal brand and is part of a line that the Spanish player plans to build "in the main tourism centers" around the world. The first one will be located in Mexico, "a country that is close in every sense," according to the world number two.

The facility will be located within the vacation resort in Costa Mujeres, "aiming to offer tennis programs so that guests and residents of the area can play and receive tennis lessons at the highest standards," said Nadal to dpa.

The center will open in November of this year and will include eight clay tennis courts, a 7-a-side football field, a paddle tennis court, and an exhibition of objects and clothing of the Spanish tennis player.

The tennis center will offer training for all levels and ages of the guests staying in those hotels, as well as for the residents and visitors of the area. The courses will be taught by coaches from the "Rafa Nadal Academy".

One of the objectives of the tennis player is to complement the experience and knowledge developed in his own academy, which opened its doors in 2016 in Mallorca, Spain, where the Spaniard lives and where more than two thousand players have passed through.

"The intention is to develop a new line of sports centers that complements the 'Rafa Nadal Academy', where my home is. Our idea is to have four or five like this in very clear destinations," added the Spanish player.

Nadal did not reveal the names of the tourist destinations that will accompany Cancun, but he did say that one will be in Europe and he would like another one to be in Asia. "We are looking at destinations where the centers are well received and are clear global destinations," he said.

"I have investments in Cozumel and Cancun, it is an area in which I trust, that is why we have chosen Mexico as the first center," he said. Asked if this would cause more visits from Nadal to Mexico, the tennis player assured that he comes very often and that will not change. "I come to Mexico, the issue is whether it is known or not, especially in Cancun, and that will not change, I do it every year and I will continue to do it," he said.

The announced programs range from summer camps to intensive training throughout the year, where children as young as eight years old and adults can participate, according to their characteristics.

Within the training, the strategy will be based on tennis, physical preparation, and mental training, so they will also have psychologists.

"We believe that the experience we have in tennis would be an important attraction, following the same line as we have from the academy," said the Spaniard.

"I already had the opportunity to visit the works last week, I am very excited for the project to be finished and to be able to come and see it in person," Nadal added, who before arriving in Acapulco for the Mexican Open made stops in Cancun and Cozumel.

Nadal will debut this Tuesday in the tournament held in Acapulco, a seaside city located in southwest Mexico, against his compatriot Feliciano Lopez. The ATP 500 level competition will distribute $1.6 million in prizes this year.

Get your tickets for the Mexican Tennis Open!