It’s become increasingly common for professional tennis players to align with resorts for special clinics in a specific promotion but most often the players are ones that have retired from the circuit. One&Only Palmilla in Mexico’s Los Cabos is offering something completely different in December: the option of a group clinic or private lesson with Carlos Alcaraz, 2022 US Open and 2023 Wimbledon champion and a meteor in the tennis world.
The opportunity is the result of a partnership between the luxury resort and LUX Tennis, a Spain-based tennis management company that provides tennis services to hotels and private clients globally. Offering the participation of the 20 year old Spanish superstar, though, who is currently ranked #2 in the world after ending 2022 in first place is a particular advantage. For Alcaraz, it seems that having a slight rest in a scenic location at the end of an exhausting, and admittedly somewhat up and down year, is probably part of the appeal for him to take part. “I’m always thrilled at the opportunity to share my craft with others, so I very much look forward to hitting the courts for an incredible session at One&Only Palmilla,” he says. “Exploring my passion while discovering such a special place in Los Cabos, surrounded by blue skies and the azure sea, is a dream.”
The date in play is December 2nd and participants for $550 can join the group clinic or for $5000 can have a 30 minute private session with the option to add a maximum of two other players for $1000 each. And the time with Alcaraz is not just limited to the court: all participants are invited to a reception with him following the court time at the resort’s Aqua Bar for cocktails. The only requirement is that the opportunity is only available to resort guests and can be added to an existing reservation or included in a new reservation.
After refining their skills following Alcaraz’s coaching, guests can practice against each other on the two hard courts overlooking the Sea of Cortez, San Jose Bay and the Baja Peninsula or take additional lessons from the resort’s professionals in the program run by LUX Tennis. The service which is run by former tennis players Joan Soler and Tony Rajaobelina recently created this partnership with this resort.
Apart from tennis, guests also interested in golf have access to the nearby Palmilla Golf Course. Taking advantage of the waterfront location, guests can charter yachts for whale watching cruises and speedboats for zipping around the bay or go snorkeling and diving in the company of manta rays and sharks. They can also experience traditional Mexican wellness rituals, compare tequilas at sunset tequila tastings or sample a range of cuisines from Mexican classics to Japanese to master chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s elevated seafood creations in four culinary locations. And they can always stretch out on private Pelican Beach, one of the only swimmable beaches in Los Cabos. Perhaps if he’s able to stretch his time there for a few days, Carlos Alcaraz might be in the next chair.