Club Atlético Montemar (Montemar Tennis School)

A historic club with a modern tennis school

Founded in 1931, Club Atlético Montemar is one of Spain’s classic multi-sport institutions and a long-standing reference point on the Costa Blanca. Tennis has been central to the club’s identity for decades, but the Montemar Tennis School took on its current shape in the mid 1990s under directors Chimo Pérez and Manuel Sandoval. Their vision was straightforward and ambitious at the same time: build an integrated player pathway that starts with pre-tennis and continues through development, competition, and adult performance, all inside a true community club. Today that pathway is supported by a large coaching staff and a competition arm led by former ATP professional Iván Navarro, a top 100 player whose daily presence keeps training aligned with the demands of modern tour tennis.

The result is a school that feels like a living ecosystem rather than a training factory. Parents chat next to clay courts while juniors rotate through drills, adult groups work on first-serve percentage on the hard courts, and visiting players join matchplay sessions during tournament weeks. It is Spanish club culture with a high-performance edge: a place where youngsters can learn, compete, and grow up in the same environment, and where experienced coaches insist that fundamentals, habits, and respect for the game come first.

Why Alicante and La Albufereta matter

Montemar’s main tennis base sits in La Albufereta, a seaside neighborhood on the north shore of Alicante. The location is practical for training and travel. Alicante–Elche Airport is close enough for quick pick-ups, and public transport links make commutes manageable for day-students. More importantly, the Mediterranean climate allows consistent outdoor volume through most of the year. Winters are typically mild, summers are dry and bright, and rain is relatively scarce. For a training program that prizes repetition at live-ball intensity, weather predictability is not a minor advantage. It is what allows coaches to plan long technical blocks, what lets players accumulate quality hours, and what keeps momentum going through exam periods and competition phases.

Beyond climate, the setting matters in everyday ways. La Albufereta’s coastal path and beaches are ideal for recovery walks or light aerobic work. Families can book apartments within walking distance of the club, a practical solution for those who want serious training without committing to boarding. The city itself offers good schooling options and a sports-minded culture, so players can keep their broader life intact while chasing improvement on court.

Facilities built for a competition pathway

Montemar is a real club, not an isolated campus, and that shapes how facilities are used. The La Albufereta site offers 21 tennis courts: 17 red clay and 4 resin hard courts. That balance reflects the school’s philosophy. Clay is the main classroom for Spanish fundamentals like balance, spacing, height, and depth. The hard courts are where players learn to flatten through contact, take time away, and adapt to quicker bounces. The ability to toggle between surfaces is a practical competitive advantage for juniors targeting both national events and international circuits.

A 600 square meter strength and conditioning gym sits at the heart of the training day. Coaches run periodized programs for mobility, general strength, and power development, layering in movement patterns that mirror on-court demands. A 50 meter heated outdoor pool supports low-impact conditioning and recovery sessions, especially valuable during tournament weeks or in the summer heat. The club also offers physiotherapy services, mini-tennis areas for foundational work, a study room for homework between blocks, and a café-restaurant that makes long training days easier to manage. On-site parking helps families who drive in before school or after work.

Montemar’s second campus at Padre Esplá, closer to the city center, adds multipurpose halls and support spaces for off-court activity. Training blocks can flow smoothly from clay to gym to pool to study without leaving the club environment. It is a functional, athlete-friendly setup designed to reduce friction and keep the focus on quality practice.

Coaching staff and philosophy

Montemar’s staff is deliberately tiered, pairing experienced head coaches with qualified instructors across ages and levels. At the top, directors Pérez and Sandoval set the long-term framework for the school. The competition side is overseen by Iván Navarro, whose tour background informs everything from drill design to daily tempo. Navarro’s playing identity adds a distinct flavor: an emphasis on transition skills, first-strike intentions, and disciplined point construction on clay. Juniors are encouraged to develop patterns that travel to faster courts rather than relying only on attritional tennis.

Methodologically, this is a Spanish clay-court school. Players work through progressions that start with mini-tennis, controlled live-ball, and pattern-based situational drills. Balance, spacing, and posture through contact are building blocks. Topspin control, height management, and depth are non-negotiables. The curriculum prepares athletes to defend with intent, change direction safely, and take opportunities to transition forward with clarity.

The culture inside the coaching group is observably collaborative. Video is used when it adds value, not as a gimmick. Fitness coaches and tennis coaches plan together so that heavy leg days do not clash with pattern sessions that demand repeated acceleration. Communication with families is structured and honest. The expectation is that accountability lives with the athlete, supported by coaches and parents who pull in the same direction.

Programs for juniors, adults, and professionals

Montemar runs year-round programming every day of the week. The architecture is designed to let families scale hours across phases of development:

• Pre-tennis and early development for ages roughly 4 to 8, with a focus on coordination, fun, and basic racket skills.
• Development groups for junior players who need volume to consolidate technique and learn to compete at the club and regional level.
• Performance and competition squads for committed juniors, with morning blocks during school holidays and targeted matchplay.
• Individualized technical blocks for specific goals such as serve mechanics, return patterns, or transition footwork.
• Adult clinics and performance groups that mirror the school’s principles without diluting standards.

Visiting players can slot into existing groups for trial weeks. Level-appropriate hitting partners are assigned, fitness is integrated into the schedule, and matchplay is built around the player’s goals. For aspiring professionals, the presence of a competition-savvy staff and frequent events on site keeps training close to the pace, ball quality, and routines seen at ITF and Challenger level.

If you are comparing Spanish options, it is useful to note that Montemar is a non-boarding club. Families who want a full residential model often look to the Ferrero Tennis Academy Villena or the Rafa Nadal Academy pathway. Montemar offers something different: a club-based structure that can be integrated with mainstream schooling and city life.

Training methodology and player development

The school’s approach is holistic, but it is not vague. Each pillar has clear routines and outcomes.

• Technical development: Coaches emphasize repeatable contact, clean lines through the ball, and the footwork patterns that support heavy spin and depth on clay. Players work through progressions that translate directly into match situations. Serve and return receive daily attention, with specific targets for placement and height.
• Tactical training: Neutral rally tolerance, height and depth control, and forehand pattern building are recurring themes. Players learn to open the court with margin, change direction when balanced, and create time to transition. The mindset is to build points with clarity rather than wait for errors.
• Physical preparation: Strength and conditioning is periodized across the year. Mobility and stability precede load, then strength and power are developed to support the player’s style of play. On-court movement work reinforces tennis-specific acceleration, deceleration, and recovery steps. The pool is used for aerobic maintenance and recovery, particularly in dense competition blocks.
• Mental skills and routines: Between-point resets, pre-serve checklists, and post-match reflections are standard. Athletes learn to scout opponents with simple templates and to take ownership of their match day without relying on constant coach input. Parents are given guidance on how to support without overstepping.
• Education and life balance: The study room and the rhythm of a multi-sport club encourage balance. Players see older athletes model good habits. Homework can fit between sessions. The message is consistent: long-term progress comes from sustainable structure, not from crash programs.

Competition on site and pathways to the tour

Montemar has leaned into event hosting as a development tool. The club regularly stages junior tournaments and senior events, creating a calendar that allows players to test themselves at home. Recent editions have included an ITF Junior event at the J100 level, a World Tennis Masters Tour competition for veteran players, and a revived ATP Challenger week in the autumn. Having these events on site compresses the learning curve. Juniors can watch match routines up close, volunteer as ball kids, and feel the tempo of professional practice sessions that run during the tournament. For local players, qualifying and wildcard opportunities are sometimes available, a powerful incentive to keep standards high.

The coaching staff uses tournament weeks to calibrate training. Drills in the days after an event often mirror what juniors observed on court. Tempo, height, and depth targets become more concrete. Players understand not just what to do, but what it must look like to hold up under pressure.

Culture and daily life at the club

Montemar is one of those places where you see grandparents, parents, and children using the club on the same afternoon. Tennis is the largest school by participation, but padel courts are busy, the pool is a hub in the summer, and other sports bring energy to the grounds. That multi-sport life is not a distraction. It creates a healthy rhythm. Juniors can finish a hitting block, read in the study room, then head to the pool for a recovery float. Parents can work from the café, meet a coach for a progress chat, and still make it to evening commitments in the city.

Community is reinforced by small rituals. Competition squads have shared warm-up protocols. Younger players watch the older ones on court and pick up habits by osmosis. The staff celebrates not just trophies but also milestones like improved training consistency or a first win in a higher age category. The tone is serious but humane, and it is underpinned by the idea that good people make good competitors over time.

Costs, access, and scholarships

Montemar operates as a membership club with schools open to members and, in some cases, to non-members at different rates. Court rental pricing is typically affordable by Western European standards, especially on clay, and lights are charged during evening slots. Gym access can be packaged for regular users. Program tuition varies with group placement and hours per week. Families visiting from abroad usually choose short-term apartments in La Albufereta or nearby Playa de San Juan and commute by foot, tram, or car.

Scholarships and financial aid are handled directly between families and the club. If support is available, it is generally aligned with demonstrated commitment to training volume and competition schedules. The best next step is to request an evaluation session, discuss goals, and map a path that works for schooling and family logistics.

What sets Montemar apart

• Real-club environment: Players train inside a living community rather than a closed campus. That tends to produce autonomous competitors who can self-manage on tournament days.
• Clay-first, hard-aware: Seventeen clay courts supported by four hard courts allow a Spanish foundation that translates to faster surfaces.
• On-site competition: Hosting ITF junior, seniors, and Challenger-level events puts elite routines within reach and creates practical stepping-stones from club to circuit.
• Mediterranean weather: Reliable conditions reduce rain-outs and support the volume required for technical consolidation and fitness progress.
• Integrated facilities: A large gym, a 50 meter pool, physiotherapy, and study space remove friction and promote sustainable training weeks.

For families benchmarking other European options, the club shares certain values with city-based programs such as the Barcelona Tennis Academy model, yet it remains distinctly Montemar in its multi-sport character and Alicante flavor.

How it compares to boarding academies

Montemar does not provide boarding. For some families, that is a decisive positive. Younger athletes can keep a stable home life, maintain ties with school friends, and still train at a high level. For others, a residential environment is the right fit. If you are exploring boarding in Spain, compare Montemar’s club-based approach with the structure at the Ferrero Tennis Academy Villena or the intensity of the Rafa Nadal Academy pathway. Each serves a different need. What matters is aligning environment, personality, and goals.

Future outlook and vision

Montemar’s leadership has been clear about using events to raise standards across the club. With a Challenger week now established in the calendar alongside junior and seniors tournaments, continued investment in court quality, officiating infrastructure, and player services is the logical next step. The aim is not only to host great events, but to let those weeks pull daily training standards upward for everyone from pre-tennis groups to competition squads.

On the coaching front, the school is likely to keep refining its methodology. Expect continued emphasis on serve and return, more structured transition work, and targeted use of video and data when it demonstrably improves learning. The broader vision is steady and grounded: a tennis school that keeps its roots in community life while preparing players to succeed far beyond the club gates.

Is it right for you

Choose Montemar if you want a serious Spanish training pathway anchored in a real club, with clay-court foundations, regular competition, and coaches who connect daily work to the level required on tour. It suits families who prefer city life and conventional schooling in Alicante over dorms and a closed campus. Juniors who thrive in mixed environments, who draw energy from busy tournament weeks, and who appreciate honest, detail-driven coaching, will feel at home here.

If you want a boarding model with everything under one roof, a residential academy may be a better fit. If you value a Mediterranean setting, year-round outdoor volume, and a culture that prizes steady, competition-driven development, Club Atlético Montemar is worth a close and serious look.