One of the most respected coaches in British sport, Leon Smith has helped to mastermind the return of the nation as a major force in world tennis, and Great Britain's Davis Cup captain will be offering a detailed insight into his coaching philosophy at an exclusive academy taking place at La Manga Club this autumn.

Smith has overseen  one of the most successful periods in British tennis since being appointed as captain in 2010, taking his side from European minnows to Davis Cup champions in 2015, and will give an in-depth assessment of his reign at a 'Special La Manga Club Tennis Academy Week with Leon Smith' at the Spanish resort from October 16-20.

As part of the academy, which is limited to a maximum of 50 people, the British tennis supremo will be offering invaluable advice, tuition and tips to help players improve their techniques at La Manga Club – the official overseas training base of the Lawn Tennis Association.

The training camp is taking place for the second year running and, in addition to receiving expert tuition, attendees will have the chance to enjoy a gala dinner hosted by Smith, where he will provide a personal insight into British tennis in a period that has seen home-grown players win eight Gram Slam titles.

Guests will enjoy an exclusive Q & A session with the GB captain before guests are treated to a lavish dinner at La Manga Club's Amapola Restaurant. Tickets for the evening are also available to hotel guests and resort residents and are priced at €65 for adults.

Smith said: “It is a real pleasure for me and everyone at the Lawn Tennis Association to work with La Manga Club. With first-class facilities and a training environment that is second to none, the resort deserves to be regarded as one of the world's premier destinations for tennis and caters for the needs of all types of players.

“I thoroughly enjoyed having the chance to work with players on the academy last year, and I'm looking forward to having another opportunity to share some of the ideas in our coaching philosophy that has helped bring about a resurgence in British tennis in recent years.”

Packages for the October camp feature six nights' accommodation in La Manga Club's five-star Hotel Principe Felipe including breakfast and access to the five-star Spa La Manga Club's fitness centre, indoor pool, saunas and steam rooms.

With an average of more than 300 days' sunshine a year, La Manga Club – recently named as one of the world's top tennis venues by leading website Tennis Resorts Online – offers the perfect destination for professional and amateur tennis players to work on all aspects of their technique under sunny skies at the venue's outstanding 28-court centre. 

Featuring 20 clay courts, four hard courts and four on artificial grass, La Manga Club's 28-court centre boasts some of the finest tennis facilities in the world and a wide range of academies are available to guests of all ages to improve their racquet skills. 

A regular host for the world's leading tennis stars as well as staging both Davis and Fed Cup tennis matches,  British number ones Andy Murray and Johanna Konta are among a long list of top players to have used La Manga Club as a training base.

In addition to tennis, La Manga Club's extensive facilities also include three award-winning 18-hole golf courses, a High Performance Sports Centre and 2,000m² spa and fitness complex. It also offers the choice of a five-star hotel, four-star serviced apartments and townhouses, and more than 20 bars and restaurants.

 The 'Special La Manga Club Tennis Academy Week with Guest Star Leon Smith' takes place at La Manga Club from October 16-20. Six-night packages start from €695 per person (£XXX approx) staying in the resort's Hotel Principe Felipe and include bed-and-breakfast accommodation, entry to the tennis academy and a gala dinner evening hosted by Leon Smith.

For more information about La Manga Club and to book, go to www.lamangaclub.com

ENDS

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Press release written and distributed on behalf of La Manga Club by the Azalea Group.

About La Manga Club

Located in a magnificent natural environment next to Calblanque National Park and the Mediterranean Sea, with a mild year-round climate and enjoying exceptional security and privacy, the exclusive resort of La Manga Club (Los Belones, Cartagena, Murcia) offers luxury, leisure and sport in the same place, and is set just 20 minutes from Murcia airport and an hour away from Alicante.  Founded in 1972, the resort now covers an area of 566 hectares  containing accommodation, professional sports facilities, relaxation zones, first-class redevelopment and a private community of 2,300 residents, in a region which boasts more than 350 days' of sun and is surrounded by natural parks and untouched beaches. La Manga Club's extensive facilities include:

- A five-star hotel: Hotel Príncipe Felipe 5*
- Tourist apartments: Las Lomas Village 4*
- Luxury villas
- Three 18-hole golf courses
- A 28-court tennis centre
- Eight Fifa-sized football pitches
- 2,000 m2 Spa and fitness centre  
- The resort's famous La Cala beach and restaurant, overlooking the Mediterranean 
- More than 15 bars and restaurants

Additionally, there is the opportunity to rent a property, purchase a plot of land or buy any of the villas already available that have been built on the complex, and benefit from the services and commodities that a five-star hotel has to offer, such as the sports facilities on the resort. With the variety of activities and facilities available, La Manga Club has firmly established itself as one of the best sports and leisure destination resorts in Europe, and has been the proud recipient of a host of prestigious international awards and accolades over the last four decades. www.lamangaclub.com

• High-resolution images of La Manga Club may be downloaded for editorial purposes from https://goo.gl/oi837y  

For more information on La Manga Club contact Pete Simm on 01730 711920 or email petes@theazaleagroup.com