As part of the collaborative “Grand Slam” series between New Jersey’s Packer Shoes and Reebok, the US Open edition of the Reebok Court Victory Pump is now available. You can buy them online on Packer Shoes website.
I’ve had the chance to win 2 entry tickets for the Optima Open, the belgian stop of the ATP Champions Tour, so I spent a nice day last Friday in Knokke-Heist, Belgium.
Situated in the heart of the country’s Flemish-speaking Flanders region, Knokke-Heist is considered to be one of Belgium’s most exclusive and affluent seaside resorts.
Enjoy the second part of Mike’s report about his son’s experience at the Sanchez Casal Academy.
Notes on Living in Castedellfels!
- We didn’t rent a car. Walked/Renfe/Metro everywhere and loved it! Watch your step on the sidewalks –dog crap. A Barcelona tradition?
- Best rotisserie chicken and cerdo (pork ribs): Dos Cabelleros and Rotisserie Pineda. Rober’s at Playafels for good cheap eats. Fruites Selectes Rosa in downtown for fresh fruit & veggies. Say hi to Carlos and his wife Rosa! Gailot is the high-end meat and cheese shop. Try their 3 Euro wine –it’s excellent!!! Excellent service at all these places.
- Convenience store: the Depaso gas station on Pineda is a life saver! Make their bread and pastries right there. Awesome 65 cent coffee from the Zannusi machine.
- Renfe (commuter train) can be unreliable in morning. Beware!
- Playafels at night can be over-run with rowdy tourists. Not where the locals eat and hang out. We LOVED SITGES. SPEND TIME THERE INSTEAD!
- Be prepared for more city noise at night –dogs barking, people milling around. Apartment buildings tend to have bad sound insulation. Bring a sound machine and ear plugs to get through the night.
Best Places to Eat & Buy Stuff!
You can count on the DEPASO on Ave Pineda!
Thanks a lot to Mike, who allowed me to publish his report about his son’s experience at the Sanchez Casal Academy.
If you want to share one of your experience (encounter with a pro, your stay at a tennis academy…), please contact us.
Four Weeks at Sanchez Casal Academy
- My 14-year-old Californian son had four terrific weeks at Sanchez Casal in July 2011. We moved as a family to nearby Castelldefels for the month.
- His tennis improved a lot!
- We came mostly for the intense footwork training and because of the high quality of the players at ASC.
- We weren’t disappointed!!
Red Clay Tennis Mecca at last!
This is the sign you see right off the main road that connects Barcelona to the airport. The road is the C-31, Autovia del Castelldefels. Our heart went pitter patter with excitement when we saw it! We are finally at the place where great players are made!!!
Close up of sign
Big arrow pointing in the direction of the Academia….nice touch!
Let’s get over the highway, please
This shows the walk bridge off the main road (C-31). If you take the L95 bus from Castelldefels, you get off the bus in front of the Tryp Hotel (seen in background) and then walk over the highway to where this picture was taken (that is, the bus stop area for the bus heading southbound). ASC will drive your jugador directly to ASC each day if you want.
Tennis Camp or Camping Trip?
You think for sure you’ve made a mistake –you are out in the boonies. But you are re-assured by the large ASC sign you went by. Soon you venture down this country road.
Highly engineered to keep the defending U.S. Open champion cool, Rafael Nadal‘s Fearless Court Top uses Dri-FIT knit fabric combined with mesh to pull sweat away from the body. Dri-FIT mesh on the sleeves, back, and under the arms enhances ventilation and reduces overall weight.
The vivid blue top, cross-crossed with glowing stripes, evokes the open skies of Flushing Meadows. Exceptional design elements include Rafa’s signature bull logo on the back, and contrasting overlay on the no-sew (or you can say bonded) side seams to draw attention to the tennis pro’s electrifying play. The great-fitting long short provides lightweight coverage and a modern look.
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