Put your tennis skills to the test at the Neilson Resort in Croatia - 1/6 ADVANTAGE CROATIA Put your tennis skills to the test at the Neilson Resort in Croatia with Andy Murray s former coach If tennis is not for you then windsurfing in the Adriatic Sea might help you get the best out of your stay at the Alana Beachclub resort in Zadar By Jim Holgate 30th June 2017, 7:50 pm JUST three points stand between me and a famous victory over tennis star Mark Petchey. In front of a packed stand, I trade shots with the former British No1. 9 Sun man Jim Holgate takes a tennis class with Mark Petchey at a Croatian holiday resort Ooh... my first winner slides just wide. Ahh... a second forehand hits the net. Urghh... I fluff a volley and the final two shots and lose five points to nil. In fairness, I took it easy on the coach who helped Sir Andy Murray on the path to greatness.
Put your tennis skills to the test at the Neilson Resort in Croatia - 2/6 That s what I told him, anyway. I meet Petch at Neilson s new Alana Beachclub resort in Starigrad, near Zadar, Croatia, where he is promoting the activity holiday specialist s tennis programme. His love for the game oozes through every pore and he is on fine form both on and off court. Petch, 46, is Neilson s tennis ambassador, heading up a coaching programme at nine beachclubs across Greece, Croatia and Sardinia. Mark Petchey is a former British tennis number one PROFESSIONAL SPORT Petchey was Andy Murray s coach a decade ago
Put your tennis skills to the test at the Neilson Resort in Croatia - 3/6 He visits one resort each season, joins the group coaching sessions, plays 30 challengers in a quick-fire charity event and passes on tips to players at every level. And that s the great thing about Neilson: it caters for all, from beginners to advanced. Tennis nuts are certainly in heaven here. For all ages and standards, Neilsen s resort caters for all With just a bit of planning you can have three hours of organised sessions a day more if you buddy up with other guests for free play on the six AstroTurf courts. The group lessons are free, grouped according to ability, and great fun. But if tennis doesn t float your boat then maybe the beach sports will, with unlimited windsurfing, sailing, kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding aka SUPs and the chance to try water-skiing and wakeboarding. Two ski tows are included in the price. Get away from the court and windsurf the Adriatic Sea
Put your tennis skills to the test at the Neilson Resort in Croatia - 4/6 Neilson ploughed 500,000 into its water sport kit at Alana Beachclub and three gleaming new speedboats are evidence of this. At one point I counted 35 dinghies in use, while there were 15 windsurfing boards and a dozen kayaks and SUPs splashing about in the super-clear Adriatic waters. Oh, and there s an added bonus people are so busy doing activities there is never a rush for sunbeds at the pool. The luxurious pool is never overcrowded as there are so many other activities to do Not into tennis or water sports? Try one of the eight fitness classes that run from 7am to 6.45pm, play beach volleyball, get out on a mountain bike, join an organised hike, relax in the spa (free, but treatments are extra) or have a go on the climbing wall. 9 All action Half a million pounds has been spent on the watersports facilities
Put your tennis skills to the test at the Neilson Resort in Croatia - 5/6 All equipment use is included but you can buy packages to guarantee more time in your chosen activity. One-to-one tennis coaching, for instance, is 298 kuna ( 31), six 15-minute water ski tows are 150 and rock climbing trips to the nearby Paklenica National Park set within the Dinarides mountain range and offering a stunning backdrop to Alana Beachclub are 40 for two hours or 60 for four hours. Full details of all packages are on Neilson s website. We are on the Dalmatian coast and it certainly feels like there are 101 things to do, for all ages. Kids activity clubs are run by 20 nannies (including a couple of man-nies) so the little ones can try much of what s on offer. 9 Kids can get stuck in and enjoy adventurous activities too For the very young ones there is an excellent crèche and nursery, which costs extra. Neilson has 72 British staff running the activity programme for 430 guests. There are 12 types of accommodation available, from one-bedroom and interconnecting rooms to cabins and apartments that sleep five. All have air-con. Breakfast and lunch is inclusive, plus dinner four nights of the week. MOST READ IN TRAVEL You can pay to eat in on the other nights or pop into Starigrad for a choice of restaurants. The historic city of Zadar, steeped in Roman and Venetian history, is a 40-minute taxi ride away and well worth the trip. There are plenty of excursions for those wanting a break from the on-site activities and a 70 trip to the stunning Plitvice Lakes 16 stretches of water connected by 92 waterfalls is a real highlight. And on the subject of natural phenomena, brace yourself for an occasional blast of Croatia s mighty bora winds which come ripping through the mountain gorges. They play havoc with the tennis and certainly gee up the sailors.
Put your tennis skills to the test at the Neilson Resort in Croatia - 6/6 Summer is the best time to try the watersports as there are high winds in other seasons But don t worry too much the more extreme winds come in winter and spring. Neilson s slogan is relax as hard as you like and it was an absolute hoot doing just that. It was a bit like one almighty day off, doing all your favourite sports from morning till night. Which takes us back to the courts where, come Saturday, the coaching team runs an end-of-week doubles tournament and, somehow, I manage to win. Game, Petch and match, you might say... GO: CROATIA STAYING THERE: Neilson s Alana Beachclub holidays include flights from Stansted, Manchester or East Midlands, transfers, full breakfast and lunch, four evening meals, use of all equipment, group coaching lessons and activity clubs for the over-twos. Seven nights are from 695 in low season to 1,292 in high season. See neilson.co.uk/beach/our-resorts.