Pliskova Tennis Academy

A Czech champion’s idea brought to life

When Karolína Plíšková and her twin sister Kristýna sketched their ideal training home, they envisioned a place where purposeful work met daily competition, where juniors and ambitious adults could follow a coherent pathway without losing the human touch. That blueprint became Pliskova Tennis Academy in 2020, a two-site operation serving Prague and the nearby town of Říčany. The sisters remain the inspiration and public face, while a full-time staff runs the day to day. The charter is simple and ambitious at the same time: create a professional environment where players can train, recover, and prepare for tournaments in one connected system.

From the outset, the academy borrowed from proven Czech habits. Players learn to construct points on clay, to move with balance, and to treat competition as a weekly norm rather than an occasional exam. The program is organized around lead coaches who steer each athlete’s long term plan, with specialists stepping in for technique, movement, or match routines. The tone is friendly, but the expectations are clear. Show up on time, bring intention to every rep, and learn to solve real match problems.

Why Prague and Říčany work for tennis

The two-site model is a practical advantage. The Prague 8 base sits in the Karlín and Libeň districts, close to public transport and city life. Families who live in the capital can fit serious training around school and work without long commutes. Říčany, a quieter town southeast of Prague, functions as the performance campus with boarding. It is close enough to the city for tournaments and appointments, yet removed enough to give young athletes a focused daily rhythm.

Logistics are manageable for international families. Travel time from Říčany to central Prague is often around 30 minutes by car depending on traffic, and Prague’s airport is reachable on the same day even with late arrivals. That matters when tournament calendars impose early check-ins or Sunday travel.

Climate is part of the story. The Czech Republic has four distinct seasons, which naturally creates blocks in the training year. Summer is clay-heavy and outdoors, a perfect period for volume and pattern building. Winter pushes more hours under cover. The staff does not fight this rhythm. Instead, they use winter blocks for technical cleaning, strength work, and the high-quality repetition you get in a quiet indoor hall. Come spring and summer, the emphasis swings back to match play and tournament weeks.

Facilities split across two hubs

Říčany performance base

The Říčany campus is the beating heart of the performance program. It brings together everything a serious player needs within a short walk:

• 8 outdoor clay courts for daily drilling and match play
• 3 indoor hard courts in a fixed hall for year round reliability
• A seasonal winter bubble that covers additional clay courts when temperatures drop
• A newly built gym with strength and conditioning zones
• A physiotherapy room plus massage area for recovery
• An outdoor pool used for active recovery in warm months
• A beach volleyball court for cross training and footwork variety
• A club restaurant that solves the nutrition piece on site
• On site accommodation in twin or triple rooms just steps from the courts

The cluster design reduces wasted time. Players train, eat, recover, and sleep in one place, which is exactly what you want when stacking high quality days without unnecessary travel.

Prague 8 city base

The Prague 8 location serves city families and younger players taking first steps in the pathway. The site uses a mix of clay and hard courts with winter coverage on several courts. It is where many children encounter the academy for the first time before graduating to longer blocks in Říčany. For teens balancing school in Prague, it is also the practical choice to keep training volume up without moving full time to boarding.

A note on padel

In 2025, the Říčany complex added padel courts and a sister padel academy. The intent is not to replace tennis. Coaches use padel sparingly during deload weeks as a social outlet or for footwork variety. The core program remains resolutely tennis-first.

Coaching staff and working philosophy

The day to day is led by Head Coach Ondřej Dohnal with a team that includes tennis and strength specialists such as Michal Franěk, Leoš Jelínek, Karel Jílek, and Jan Skřivánek. A dedicated conditioning coach and on site physio support the program. The academy operates in Czech and English, with German and Russian available, which helps visiting families settle quickly.

Two principles shape the work:

• Balance. Especially during growth spurts, volume and intensity are matched to each athlete’s capacity. The weekly plan alternates individual sessions, small group hitting, fitness, and recovery, so development is steady rather than boom and bust.
• Personalization. Each player has a lead coach who sets seasonal priorities and adapts the plan. Technical work, tournament calendars, and recovery blocks are tuned to the athlete rather than copied from a template.

The coaching culture is unmistakably Czech. Footwork and balance support a clean contact. Players learn to be neutral, defensive, or offensive from identical fundamentals rather than chasing a grip-based identity. Competition is frequent, and feedback is direct.

Programs for juniors, adults, and pros

Professional blocks in Říčany

Advanced juniors and young pros typically choose one week or one month packages. The one month Professional plan includes daily individual sessions, small group hitting, daily fitness, and regular physio or massage, with boarding and meals included. A Semi Professional plan lowers the number of individual hours and the total price while preserving daily tennis and conditioning. Weekly versions compress the structure into five day cycles, a useful option for a targeted tune up before a tournament run.

Weekly Intense Program

For players aged roughly 7 to 20, the Weekly Intense Program offers high volume training without long term commitment. A typical day features 90 minutes of individual or paired coaching, 90 minutes of paired or trio hitting or sparring, and an hour of fitness. Sauna access and help with tournament scheduling can be requested. Families can book with or without accommodation.

Kids Tennis School

The Kids Tennis School starts at age 3 and uses a clear progression to move children from playful movement to real rally skills. Sessions emphasize coordination and habits as much as strokes. The steps feed into the academy pathway, so a child who falls in love with the game has a visible route to squads, tournaments, and performance blocks.

Tennis for Adults

For local parents and motivated adult players, the academy offers serious weekly rhythm or fundamentals for beginners. Staff can mirror a pro style week for a former college player, or build a smart, sustainable plan for newcomers who want to improve quickly without injury. It is also a smart fit for a parent who wants to train while a junior is on the performance plan.

Seasonal and travel camps

Summer weeks in Říčany typically combine 3 hours of tennis, 1 hour of fitness, pool access in season, and a midweek physio or massage check in. Weeks run Monday to Friday during school holidays with full board available on site. The academy has also organized spring clay camps in Spain and occasional stays in the United States for players interested in the college pathway.

How players are developed

Technical and tactical

Technical work follows Czech fundamentals. Players build a clean contact from balanced stances and early preparation. Ball controls on clay are a constant even for athletes who target hard court success. Coaches layer in situation drills that simulate actual points. You will see lots of serve plus one, return plus one, and pattern rehearsals that are then tested in competitive games and sets. Video is used when needed, but the emphasis is on feel, ball trajectory, and footwork solutions that hold up in pressure.

Physical preparation

Strength and conditioning is planned, not improvised. Younger players focus on coordination, speed mechanics, and posture. Older players build strength, robustness, and repeatable movement quality. The on site gym makes consistency possible, and recovery tools are close at hand. Hourly pricing for S and C is published publicly, which helps families add sessions with clear expectations.

Mental habits and routines

Mental training is woven into normal sessions rather than isolated. Coaches cue breathing, routines, and simple match plans. Post match debriefs identify one or two actionable improvements rather than a laundry list. As tournament weeks stack up, players learn to channel nerves into useful energy instead of waiting for nerves to disappear.

Education and pathways

The academy collaborates with a specialist service for United States college placement, including test preparation and school targeting. For families who want to keep both doors open, this provides a structured route to scholarships without giving up the possibility of professional progression. For Czech comparisons, families sometimes explore a hybrid calendar that includes domestic events and international junior tournaments, similar to what you will see at Tennis Europe Academy in Prostějov.

Tournament integration

One of the practical advantages of the Říčany base is tournament density. The venue regularly hosts domestic events under the Czech Tennis Association structure, and players often compete in Tennis Europe and ITF events within driving distance. Match days frequently happen on courts the athletes use every afternoon, which reduces stress and allows coaches to work effectively on site.

Alumni and early results

This is a young program launched in 2020, so its alumni list is still growing. What you will find are juniors progressing through national draws into international events and young pros using the campus as a training base between tournaments. A recent example from academy news highlighted Aináz Farajpourová reaching the singles final and doubles semifinals at the Czech Junior Championships in 2023. The trendline is what matters at this stage. The academy is moving players forward in a way that fits its age and focus.

Culture and daily life

The atmosphere blends family warmth with professional habits. A typical day begins with warm up and a targeted individual or semi private hit. A second session focuses on patterns or live ball, followed by gym work. Recovery might be mobility, pool time in summer, or a short massage. The on site restaurant keeps nutrition simple and consistent. Academy members benefit from practical perks like discounted court bookings, priority training slots, and equipment discounts through brand partners. Staff are approachable, and communication is straightforward in English and Czech for international families.

Boarding in Říčany is designed for self management. Rooms sit next to the courts, which cuts down on wasted travel and teaches young athletes to manage time, nutrition, and recovery. Airport transfers can be arranged, a small but helpful detail during tournament season or late arrivals.

Costs, accessibility, scholarships

Transparent pricing is a strength. For hourly training, the public price list distinguishes summer and winter rates. As of summer 2025, individual lessons were listed at 990 Czech crowns per hour in summer, with group sessions typically ranging from 300 to 520 crowns per person depending on format. In winter, individual rates at the city base and in Říčany were listed at 1,350 crowns per hour, with group options adjusted accordingly. Strength and conditioning sessions have separate hourly pricing. Families considering weekly or monthly performance packages can price against the pro program pages that include accommodation and full board.

Seasonal camps are priced per week with boarding options. The Weekly Intense Program is priced per day and available with or without accommodation. These public numbers make it easier to compare against larger Mediterranean destinations. Once you add travel and housing, the Czech option often compares favorably on total cost while preserving competitive tournament access.

The academy does not advertise broad internal scholarships. Its partnership with a college placement service is designed to open scholarship opportunities in the United States rather than discount academy tuition. If cost is the primary barrier, it is still worth asking about case by case support or structured payment plans.

What genuinely sets it apart

• Two complementary sites. A Prague 8 city base for convenience and a Říčany performance campus with boarding, gym, and recovery.
• Year round clay identity. Winters are solved with a fixed hall and seasonal bubble so clay patterning remains a constant.
• Clear programs and pricing. A posted menu of packages and hourly rates simplifies planning and comparison.
• Pathways for every stage. From Kids Tennis School to weekly performance blocks and college placement support.
• Tournament embedded. Regular domestic events at the venue and strong access to international events within the region.
• Language friendly. English is widely used on court, with German and Russian available alongside Czech.

What to consider before you choose it

• Winters are real. Expect more indoor hours and accept that match play in cold spells feels different from July sunshine.
• It is not a resort. Facilities are practical and close together. This is a club athlete environment, not a glossy campus.
• Tournament volume depends on profile. Age group, ranking, and calendar determine your match count. Use the coaching team to build a smart schedule.
• Cultural comfort. International players adapt quickly, but Czech is the default language off court. Most families find the adjustment manageable within a week or two.

How it compares and who it suits

If you want a compact, tournament minded base near a great European city, Pliskova Tennis Academy is a strong option. Families considering a Czech pathway often look at regional peers such as TOPTENNIS Academy in the Czech Republic or the established structure at Tennis Europe Academy in Prostějov. For a warm weather alternative with a year round outdoor rhythm, some compare it with Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca.

Who thrives here:

• Juniors who benefit from a named lead coach and clear weekly structure
• Players who like clay repetition in summer and are content to grind indoors in winter
• Families who prefer boarding within steps of the courts instead of daily car rides
• Athletes who value transparent pricing and a competition first calendar

Who might look elsewhere:

• Players seeking a resort atmosphere with sun nearly every day of the year
• Those who need a giant campus with dozens of courts and on site spectacle

Future outlook and vision

The signs point to steady, thoughtful growth. Facility investments, such as the addition of padel courts, show a willingness to evolve the campus. The academy continues to add international camp options and keeps program pages and pricing current, a small indicator of professional operations. Expect more tournament hosting, deeper relationships with domestic clubs and the federation ecosystem, and a gradual build up of alumni results as the 2020 cohort matures.

Looking ahead, the vision remains consistent. Maintain a human scale environment where hard work feels natural, where technical quality is non negotiable, and where competition is embraced. Keep the pathway clear from early childhood through high performance blocks and into either college tennis or the professional ranks. Continue to hire and develop coaches who can teach the fundamentals and manage the demands of a modern junior calendar.

Conclusion

Pliskova Tennis Academy offers a grounded, professional alternative in the heart of Central Europe. Two sites make the logistics work. Year round clay access preserves the Czech identity. Coaching is personal and pragmatic. Programs are transparent and easy to plan around. The culture is friendly without losing accountability. If your ideal is a serious training rhythm close to a major European city, with boarding a few steps from the courts and frequent access to real matches, this academy deserves a close look. For athletes who want to build a long runway of skill, resilience, and competitive experience, it provides exactly that: a daily environment where good habits stick and tournament weeks feel like home.