Signs/results are here.
I am in Font de Sa Cala, Mallorca, Spain in the northeastern part of Mallorca for one of the largest, if not the largest Masters tournaments in the world. It offers singles, Doubles & Mixed for every age category from 30+ to 90+, for men and women.
Helge Albrecht of Germany has run this tournament for 30 years with a dedicated crew of assistants. Every player receives a collared shirt (and there are men’s and ladies’ sizes!), A nice towel, all in a shopping bag. Moreover, there is prize money. This is the last year that this event is performed for Helge and his crew (although they will continue to run the tournament in Feld am See), but don’t worry, a new tournament director … Actually two people are needed to replace Helge!) This event ensures in 2026.
The most important location is the beach club font De Sa Cala, with other locations including after Taconara, son Besso and I think the Aguait club. There are shuttles between the locations.
The first week of the tournament this year the 65-90 divisions is organizing because the ITF Masters World Team Championships for the 75/80/85 divisions is held in Bol, Croatia from 6 October. This week started today, September 27 and ends on October 3; The younger divisions will be played the next week.
Yesterday I drove from the Palma area to Font de Sa Cala and stopped on the way to pick up my tense racket on the Jofre Porta Academy. I also stopped in Font de Sa Cala at Lidl, hardly arriving on time because it closes from 1-3 or so on for lunch. I got some vegetables, fresh sandwiches, salmon and chicken and went to the mansion that I rented for the week, across the street Font de Sa Cala, the most important location of the tournament.
After checking in, I walked to the club to register and pick it up with shirt and towel, and after having waited 10 minutes, I was also able to book a practice court for today, although our practical times were finally changed by the tournament (which the morning dish I had booked) and then by me (shift locations). Then I took a nice walk to Naconara and a little back along the sea.
Today I had a bye, so I practiced a considerable amount, first with my double partner Chris French from GBR when with Laura de Vittori from Italy who happens to be the best seeds in the 65s. Son Besso is a very nice club with 10 courts run by a small and dedicated group of women … The courts are very nicely maintained and pretty slow. From the porch of the clubhouse I saw the clear blue of the Mediterranean Sea. There used to be a nice restaurant … I think Covid killed it, however.
Tomorrow I will play 70 singles at 12.00 at Son Besso, where I practiced today. In 65 Doubles we wait for a game that will take place tomorrow afternoon … we play the winner of that game and I think the team is pretty good. We are sown third in double (sowing is strictly done on points and Chris does not have many double points, and because I play in a younger division, 30% of my points do not have (which is strange in a way because four of my tournaments were won in the division 60 and two in 65S).
#Mallorca #Masters