Lärchenhof Tennis Academy (Markus Hipfl Tennis Base)

A tennis base with tour pedigree in the Kitzbü Alps

Picture a quiet alpine plateau edged by forest and pastures, then add the sound of tennis balls echoing across a bright indoor hall and sunlit outdoor courts. This is Erpfendorf, a village near Kitzbühel where the five star Hotel Der Lärchenhof hosts the Markus Hipfl Tennis Base, also known as the Lärchenhof Tennis Academy. It is not a factory program. It is a coach led training base built around the eye and standards of former ATP pro Markus Hipfl, whose on court presence sets the rhythm for everything from a first technical reset after a layoff to a full week of pre tournament preparation.

The academy’s origin story is refreshingly practical. The hotel had offered tennis for years, but in the early 2020s it invited Hipfl to formalize a high touch training center that would serve serious players without losing the family friendly advantages of a resort. The goal was clear. Combine tour level habits with the logistics that make concentrated blocks possible for adults and juniors who travel with parents or partners. What emerged is a base that values quality over scale, and that leans into its setting to keep players focused.

Why the setting matters

Altitude and climate

Erpfendorf sits at roughly 630 meters above sea level. That modest altitude nudges aerobic work just enough to matter while staying comfortable for footwork, change of direction, and recovery between points. Summers trend cool to mild, which allows longer sessions without the heat stress common in southern Europe. When winter settles in, the indoor hall keeps development on track. The result is a year round training calendar where block weeks can be planned around matches rather than weather.

Access and travel flow

Another practical win is access. Salzburg, Innsbruck, and Munich airports each sit within straightforward driving range, and road connections into the St. Johann in Tirol region are predictable. Players can arrive in the afternoon, check in, and be on court for a light session the same day. Families who prefer not to rent a car can organize transfers through the hotel. For teams planning multi day camps, the predictability of arrivals and departures reduces friction and lets coaches spend energy where it matters most.

Facilities built for training, not spectacle

Courts and surfaces

The center offers three indoor Top Slide courts, three outdoor clay courts, and two outdoor hard courts. That mix is the academy’s quiet superpower. Juniors preparing for national events can spend three days grooving high net clearance patterns on clay, then switch to hard courts and rehearse first strike patterns and return positioning without leaving the site. Adults coming back from injury can progress from the forgiving indoor surface to clay before testing movement on hard. Switching surfaces without travel time keeps sessions productive and helps players feel how patterns translate.

Strength, conditioning, and recovery

Just off court sits a modern fitness space with circuit lines and a functional zone that suits time efficient strength and conditioning. Coaches lean on court based intervals for tennis specific endurance, then move to the gym for strength blocks that can be monitored and progressed week to week. Recovery is where a resort based academy shows its edge. The wellness area includes multiple pools, cold and hot options, and an extensive sauna world, plus quiet rooms where athletes can downshift between sessions. This matters for juniors logging their first true two a day schedule and for adults who want to push hard while staying healthy.

Boarding and daily life

This is not a dormitory campus. Players and families stay in hotel rooms, suites, or on site chalets, often with half board. A café near the courts anchors the day, and an on site kids club smooths logistics for families with younger siblings. In summer, hiking trails begin at the property. In winter, the small lift allows an easy hour on snow without turning the day into a full ski excursion. The overall effect is calm and purposeful. Everything you need is close, and everything you do not need is pleasantly absent.

Coaching staff and philosophy

Markus Hipfl climbed to the ATP top 100, represented Austria in Davis Cup, and knows what it feels like to manage momentum on court when the ball feels heavy and the legs are tired. That background informs the academy’s daily work. Hipfl leads a small staff, often taking the key technical roles himself while assistants manage complementary courts and off court blocks. The philosophy is simple. Build a repeatable base, then layer in the patterns that win points in the modern game.

• Technical work is precise and visible from the first basket. Footwork is linked to shot shape, not treated as a separate skill. On clay, players rehearse heavier crosscourt patterns that open space, then learn how and when to step down the line. On hard courts, the focus shifts to a compact first strike backed by balance at contact.
• Tactical planning is delivered in plain language. Players finish sessions with one or two clear objectives they can use that afternoon in points or the next morning in live ball. Serve plus one and return plus one are not slogans here. They are practiced sequences with specific targets and cues.
• Physical training is pragmatic. Court based intervals build tennis relevant endurance, while strength blocks in the gym keep the kinetic chain organized. The altitude provides a small but useful training effect when managed progressively.
• Mental skills are integrated rather than siloed. Between point routines, reset cues, and simple match plans are part of practice, not an add on. Players learn to handle unfamiliar conditions, a skill Hipfl learned during Davis Cup ties and weeks on tour.

If you like the ex pro led environment and clear lines of communication common at the Tipsarevic Tennis Academy, you will recognize the same hands on approach here, scaled to a boutique setting.

Programs and how they run

The academy is organized around lessons and intensive blocks rather than a fixed boarding calendar. That design suits families, adult competitors, and juniors who want focused work without committing to a school year on site.

• Private lessons typically run 55 minutes and form the backbone of technical change or match preparation.
• Small group sessions for two to four players allow peers to push each other while keeping coaching feedback direct and frequent.
• Five lesson intensive packs help short stays feel like real progress. Many families book morning and afternoon sessions across three to five days.
• Kids and youth training is delivered in age appropriate ratios with a clear pathway from fundamentals to match play.
• Team camps can be arranged for clubs and federations that want a quiet alpine base with consistent court access and recovery options.

Because the program is built around coaching hours rather than dorm occupancy, scheduling is flexible. Some players come for a long weekend and leave with a sharper backhand pattern and a routine for second serve returns. Others plan two weeks around regional tournaments, using the first week for volume and the second for competitive sharpeners. The staff adapts to seasons too. In summer, doubles specific sessions become more common. In winter, transition footwork and movement patterns get extra attention on the indoor surface.

If you prefer the feel of a larger academy campus with dozens of peers and full time schooling, programs like the Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar may suit you better. Lärchenhof’s strength is its focus and the immediacy of coach attention rather than scale.

Training and player development approach

Technical detail without paralysis

Players often arrive with a clear need. A forehand that breaks down under pace. A serve that wins practice games but not matches. A backhand that floats crosscourt instead of driving through the court. The staff starts with movement, not aesthetics. You will hear language about space, shape, and balance rather than elbows and wrists. By linking footwork to shot outcome, the academy makes technical change feel like a tool for winning points, not an exercise in form for its own sake.

On clay, the default is shape and depth. Juniors learn to build high margin crosscourt rallies that create time before striking through the line. On hard courts, the staff teaches controlled aggression from the first rally ball, with clear targets and cues for serve placement and the first forehand. The transition between surfaces is intentional. Players do not just change shoes. They change patterns.

Tactical clarity that travels

It is not enough to hit better. You must also play better. Each block ends with a simple plan that fits the player’s level. For a junior, it might be two serve locations and one return pattern with explicit recovery positions. For an adult competitor, it might be a three ball pattern on the ad side and a return depth target that prevents the opponent from getting on the front foot. Video is used when it accelerates understanding, but the priority remains on feel and decision making rather than long screen sessions.

Physical preparation fitted to tennis

Strength and conditioning are built into the week in doses that support skill acquisition. Circuit lines deliver time efficient strength work. Functional blocks target rotation, deceleration, and single leg balance. Mobility is not a warm down afterthought. It is tracked like any other variable. The wellness area encourages good habits. Contrast options and sauna help players learn how to recover as deliberately as they train.

Mental habits built into practice

Pressure is rehearsed on purpose. Point starts, serve tiebreaks, and scoreboard constraints are sprinkled into sessions so players learn to manage arousal and make sound decisions when uncomfortable. Coaches teach short, repeatable routines that reset attention after errors. The goal is not to create stoic robots. It is to help players show up with the same intentions on a Wednesday match court that they had in Tuesday’s lesson.

Education and academics

There is no on site school. Families who need formal academics in parallel with training generally visit during holidays or coordinate remote schooling for longer stays. That clarity is a feature, not a bug. It keeps the academy’s focus on training quality while allowing families to choose the educational path that fits them best. Players seeking an integrated school plus boarding model can compare this base with the structure available at the Piatti Tennis Center and decide which cadence suits their goals.

Alumni, pros, and a growing track record

The base under Hipfl’s leadership is relatively young, but the coaching CV is not. Hipfl has worked with established ATP names and promising juniors, and he continues to consult with players who pass through on their way to events in Austria and across Europe. Those professionals are not resident for months at a time, but the same drills and eye that serve them filter directly into the junior and adult programs. For many families, that loop is the appeal. You are training in a living system, not a frozen curriculum.

Culture and community life

The tone on site is calm and adult, even when juniors are training hard. Sessions start on time. Feedback is specific. The café near the courts creates a natural meeting point for parents and players between blocks. Dinner service is relaxed rather than rushed, and the property’s wider activity program keeps non tennis hours enjoyable without distracting from the primary reason you are there. Players often end the day in the wellness area, decompressing in a way that turns a demanding block into something sustainable over a week or more.

Costs, accessibility, and scholarships

Rates are published and easy to understand. Private lessons are typically priced for 55 minute blocks, with small group options that scale by group size. Five lesson packages provide value for players planning a concentrated push. Court fees for unsupervised hitting can be booked through the tennis desk, and equipment services are available for stringing and grips. Accommodation is separate and varies by season and room type, with half board popular among training families.

Scholarships or long term sponsorships are not broadly advertised, which fits the academy’s model. The staff does organize tailored pricing for team camps and can build multi day schedules that balance coaching hours, court access, and recovery time. International families should plan travel and accommodation early for peak weeks in summer and during winter holidays.

What makes it different

• Coach led clarity. A former top 100 player is on court directing the key work. Feedback lines are short and specific, which compresses the time from problem to solution.
• Real surface variety in one place. Three indoor Top Slide courts, three outdoor clay courts, and two outdoor hard courts let you practice transitions that mirror the European calendar without wasting time in transit.
• Recovery that supports progress. The on site wellness infrastructure makes double session days realistic, which in turn accelerates technical change and tactical learning.
• Logistics that respect families. Room options, an on site kids club, and simple meal plans keep focus on training rather than errands.
• A quiet competitive culture. Sessions are serious, not loud. Players learn to like that feeling of focused work without distractions.

Future outlook and vision

The pattern to date is steady improvement rather than spectacle. Surface updates, incremental facility upgrades, and deeper integration between on court and off court work point to a base that prefers substance over hype. As the player portfolio grows, expect more structured performance blocks for national squads and clubs that want a dependable alpine camp. The vision is not to become the biggest academy in Europe. It is to remain a place where quality coaching and smart logistics meet.

Is it the right fit for you

Choose the Lärchenhof Tennis Academy if you want hands on coaching in a calm alpine environment with real surface variety and recovery options that rival pro setups. It is a strong fit for:

• Families planning a training holiday with meaningful progress baked in
• Adult competitors who want a technical reset and match ready patterns
• Juniors building toward targeted block weeks around tournament windows

If you need full time schooling and a large peer group year round, a larger residential academy may suit you better. If you value small ratios, clear technical and tactical messages, and the ability to train hard and recover well in the same place, this base in Erpfendorf will feel exactly right. By the time you leave, you will have a plan, not just a pleasant memory of hitting in the mountains. And when you return, the same coaches will be ready to pick up where you left off, with standards that do not drift and a setting that keeps attention where it belongs: on the ball.