Far from the season’s first Slam in Melbourne, Australia, lies the attractive island Tenerife, the place the ATP Challenger Tour makes a go to this week and two extra stops throughout the subsequent month.
Tenerife, which is the most important of Spain’s Canary islands, is a chunk of tennis paradise. The Challenger 100 occasion is staged round towering palm bushes on the Abama Tennis Academy, the place centre courtroom spectators can get pleasure from panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean whereas soaking in world-class tennis.
Boasting a cushty local weather year-round, Tenerife is dwelling to a thousand experiences that vary from enjoyable on the seaside and whale watching, to visiting the spectacular volcanic construction Mount Teide, which stands over 12,000 toes. It’s a surprising vacation spot that tennis followers can add to their bucket listing.
The Tenerife Challenger is one in every of a number of professional occasions spearheaded by MEF Tennis Events, which is an Italian-based firm that began in 2007 and specialises within the organisation, administration, and advertising and marketing of sporting occasions. MEF Tennis Events is managed by Marcello Marchesini, who can be the match director in Tenerife. When the chance got here to increase operating tournaments from Italy to the Canary Islands, it was a no brainer.
“We’ve managed 40 Challenger occasions for the reason that firm started, three WTA 250s, and one ATP 250 (Parma) in 2021,” Marchesini mentioned. “After the pandemic we had the chance to work not solely in Italy, but additionally within the Canary Islands. They are very fascinated by sporting occasions {and professional} tennis was lacking right here for about 10 years. We have the assist of the native establishments and tourism sector, who’re fascinated by sponsoring this occasion.”
What makes MEF Tennis Events distinctive is that it is a family-run business, with Marcello’s daughters Elena and Federica enjoying key roles. Elena spoke with ATPTour.com to share how her household works collectively, “Marcello is the supervisor, Federica is accountable for communication and logistics; she’s at all times looking for the most effective motels, catering, and all of the providers for the gamers. I’m accountable for the advertising and marketing side, together with social media. There’s additionally at all times different folks which can be working for us. All the workers is sort of a household.”
The Challenger Tour visits all corners of the globe all through the 11-month season. From massive cities reminiscent of Buenos Aires and Bangkok to distant places just like the grass courts of Ilkley within the United Kingdom, the Challenger Tour has made stops in six continents throughout the previous two seasons. Following a yr off from a Challenger occasion in Tenerife, the island is ready to host three tournaments within the subsequent month.
Semi-final motion on the Challenger 100 occasion in Tenerife. Credit: Daniele Combi/MEF Tennis Events
‘MEF’ has hosted Challengers in Italian cities reminiscent of Parma, Francavilla al Mare, Perugia, and Todi, and the addition of the Canary Island match offers a definite expertise for gamers and a dreamy trip for followers.
“This is a fantastic location. Abama [Tennis Academy] has seven courts, additionally they have a golf course and plenty of palm bushes across the centre courtroom,” mentioned Elena. “The location is without doubt one of the finest centre courts I’ve seen. It’s a peaceable space. Tenerife is normally totally booked with many individuals however whenever you come up right here, it’s like a non-public hill with no site visitors and all people can chill out.”
The Tenerife Challenger even earned a go to from former World No. 12 Feliciano Lopez in 2021, when the Spaniard not solely performed and completed runner-up, but additionally spoke with the Marchesinis in regards to the organisation of the occasion. Lopez, who is ready to retire from professional tennis this yr, serves because the match director of the ATP Masters 1000 Mutua Madrid Open.
“The finest reminiscence was after we welcomed Feliciano Lopez right here, it was the primary time we met him and he was very completely happy to remain right here,” match director Marchesini mentioned. “He was seeing the organisation, the environment. He was typically asking us for strategies and asking us about our organisation, we had been completely happy to listen to that. We thought that meant we’re doing properly.”
It’s time you begin planning your journey to tennis heaven, Tenerife.