All it took was thirty minutes in the air—we’d just hit cruising altitude when we began our descent—to transition from the vibrant streetscapes of Barcelona to the languid cadence of the Balearics. My first trip to Mallorca, taken 2002 while studying at Universitat Pompeu Fabra, was all dorm accommodations and chupitos and late-night dancefloors, so I wanted an excuse to see it again since it has become an international tennis destination, thanks to its most famous native son.
Mallorca is, in the popular imagination, tied to red clay, and thanks especially to Rafa, to the old school grind-it-out ethos of the Spanish academy system. But what’s changed is who’s coming. The draw is no longer for rabid junior prospects only—though you can believe there’s countless kids running baseline drills under the watchful eyes of Rafa Nadal’s lieutenants in Manacor, stars future and current such as Alex Eala claiming the massive tennis factory as home away from home. But now it’s the grown ups with a taste for design hotels, regional hospitality and a seamless itinerary of sport and wellness who are recalibrating the island’s racquet-sport vibe.
At the Mandarin Oriental Punta Negra, five low-slung stone buildings sit amid a pine forest and perched over two Mediterranean coves of unspoiled bays for lazy swimming and with a culinary scene led by Nobu Matsuhisa and Dani Garcia. Along with a forthcoming taqueria nodding to the owners’ Mexican roots and an immersive spa and wellness facility with programming from weight training to breathwork, the property can be experienced as a kind of adult summer camp, the kind that courts Michelin stars and offers turndown service.
Across a small stretch of coastline—measured as a two-minute bike ride, if you’re inclined to take advantage of the island’s many bike paths—sits the Sporting Club Portals with six glorious red clay courts and four padel canchas sitting seaside, offering point play and private coaching if you want to mingle with locals or get worked out by a veteran. It’s the gathering place where casually-clad mainlanders, international tourists and European league types all commingle on court.
And then, there’s the main event. The Mallorca Country Club, which since 2021 has hosted an ATP 250, is a quick bike ride up the road. And it’s not just a pit stop for players prepping for Wimbledon (although it definitely is that) but a scene in its own right. Yes, Frances Tiafoe, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Ethan Quinn graced this year’s draw before Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina took home the trophy, but also in the crowd sat professional tennis royalty—Tommy Haas, available for a grass-court hit, and the Argentine legend Gabriela Sabatini— inventor of the legendary Sabatweenie shot—adding some glamour to the proceedings.
Here, the weekend (like mine) can be tennis-heavy and padel-curious, punctuated by pa amb tomàquet and glasses of cava, all with some Mediterranean breezes under a pine canopy at the Mandarin Oriental Punta Negra. That the setup feels turnkey, that the trip from Barcelona takes less time than most commutes, is almost beside the point.
