Removed 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 inside the subsequent month.
Tenerife, which is the biggest of Spain’s Canary islands, is a chunk of tennis paradise. The Challenger 100 occasion is staged round towering palm timber on the Abama Tennis Academy, the place centre court docket spectators can take pleasure in panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean whereas soaking in world-class tennis.
Boasting a snug local weather year-round, Tenerife is residence to a thousand experiences that vary from enjoyable on the seashore and whale watching, to visiting the spectacular volcanic construction Mount Teide, which stands over 12,000 ft. It’s a surprising vacation spot that tennis followers can add to their bucket listing.
The Tenerife Challenger is certainly one of a number of professional occasions spearheaded by MEF Tennis Occasions, 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 Occasions is managed by Marcello Marchesini, who can also be the match director in Tenerife. When the chance got here to broaden working tournaments from Italy to the Canary Islands, it was a no brainer.
“We’ve managed 40 Challenger occasions because the 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 in addition within the Canary Islands. They’re very fascinated by sporting occasions {and professional} tennis was lacking right here for about 10 years. Now we have the help of the native establishments and tourism sector, who’re fascinated by sponsoring this occasion.”
What makes MEF Tennis Occasions distinctive is that it is a family-run enterprise, 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 in control of communication and logistics; she’s all the time looking for one of the best accommodations, catering, and all of the providers for the gamers. I’m in control of the advertising and marketing side, together with social media. There’s additionally all the time different folks which might be working for us. All of the employees is sort of a household.”
The Challenger Tour visits all corners of the globe all through the 11-month season. From huge cities akin to Buenos Aires and Bangkok to distant places just like the grass courts of Ilkley in the UK, the Challenger Tour has made stops in six continents inside the previous two seasons. Following a 12 months off from a Challenger occasion in Tenerife, the island is about to host three tournaments within the subsequent month.
Semi-final motion on the Challenger 100 occasion in Tenerife. Credit score: Daniele Combi/MEF Tennis Occasions
‘MEF’ has hosted Challengers in Italian cities akin to Parma, Francavilla al Mare, Perugia, and Todi, and the addition of the Canary Island match supplies a definite expertise for gamers and a dreamy trip for followers.
“This can be a stunning location. Abama [Tennis Academy] has seven courts, in addition they have a golf course and lots of palm timber across the centre court docket,” mentioned Elena. “The placement is among the finest centre courts I’ve seen. It’s a peaceable space. Tenerife is often totally booked with many individuals however once you come up right here, it’s like a personal hill with no site visitors and everyone 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 in addition spoke with the Marchesinis concerning the organisation of the occasion. Lopez, who is about to retire from professional tennis this 12 months, serves because the match director of the ATP Masters 1000 Mutua Madrid Open.
“The very best reminiscence was once we welcomed Feliciano Lopez right here, it was the primary time we met him and he was very comfortable to remain right here,” match director Marchesini mentioned. “He was seeing the organisation, the ambiance. He was typically asking us for ideas and asking us about our organisation, we had been comfortable to listen to that. We thought that meant we’re doing effectively.”
It’s time you begin planning your journey to tennis heaven, Tenerife.