Nadal Tennis Academy set for Sai Kung

^{Rafael Nadal}

World tennis star Rafael Nadal’s tennis centre is coming to Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Golf and Tennis Academy (HKGTA) recently announced that it is partnering with the Rafa Nadal Academy to launch Asia’s first Rafa Nadal Tennis Centre in Sai Kung, with the hope of nurturing more talent in the city.

A dedicated coaching team from Spain will come to the centre to run tailor-made programmes, and there will also competition opportunities, the HKGTA said. Nadal, for his part, said he believes the project would be a success. “We are very excited about this new international project in Hong Kong. Since the opening of the Academy in Mallorca five years ago, we have always found it interesting to expand our methodology to more countries to reach as many people as possible,” the 21-time Grand Slam winner said in a statement.

However, HKGTA did not say when the centre will come into operation and how much the courses will cost. Those who are not looking for training programmes can visit the Rafa Nadal Shop at the academy, where exclusive Rafa products are available to buy.

The Hong Kong Golf and Tennis Academy is owned by New World Development and is located at Tai Chung Hau, Sai Kung. The Chief Executive Officer of New World Development, Adrian Cheng, said, “The prestigious Nadal Tennis School has set up its first establishment in Asia, which is an important milestone in the development of the Hong Kong Golf and Tennis Academy and Hong Kong’s sports. Hong Kong has many outstanding talents, and the Nadal Tennis School can provide us Champion tennis players provide the world-class training they need.”

^{Hong Kong Golf and Tennis Academy, Tai Chung Hau, Sai Kung}

In addition, the Hong Kong Golf and Tennis Academy Charitable Foundation will provide training sponsorships to two outstanding Hong Kong tennis players (one male and one female). The sponsorship not only includes elite training provided by professional coaches, but also the opportunity for the two athletes to visit the Nadal Tennis School in Mallorca, Spain to experience a world-class training environment and further improve their tennis skills. The sponsorship aims to support potential Hong Kong tennis players and will be open to applications from all local tennis players, regardless of whether they are students of the Hong Kong Golf and Tennis Academy.