Seven Days in Barcelona

For Adriana Isaza, the marriage between tennis and Latin culture was a natural fit. A native of Bogota, Colombia, Adriana hit the tennis circuit at the age of 16 when she was the Colombian National Tennis Champion, a reign which lasted for four years. She was an NCAA All-American, and a Silver Medalist at the Pan American Games in 1987. Adriana brought her love of tennis and Latin culture to the New York metro area, where she has been coaching tennis and teaching Spanish for more than 15 years. In 2014, she founded Elite Tennis and Travel to share her dual passions with other tennis and culture enthusiasts.

This spring, Isaza teamed up with Wendy Gardiner, director of tennis at Chelsea Piers in Connecticut, to customize the trip of a lifetime for the most adventurous players within Chelsea Piers’ membership. Nine intrepid tennis fans traveled to Spain, to enjoy the Barcelona Open and experience the many wonders of Barcelona off the court–including personal tours of Gaudi’s iconic architectural masterpieces, exclusive shopping, wine-tasting and touring the gorgeous Catalonian countryside.

The linchpin of the trip was the three days of tennis at the historic Real Club de Tennis Barcelona 1899.

“What I like about the Torneo Godo [Barcelona Open] is that it’s a small and intimate venue,” said Isaza. “We were able to see world-class tennis from literally an arm’s distance. It’s impossible to get near the players at the bigger Grand Slam venues, but in Barcelona, we were just a few feet away from Rafael Nadal, Kei Nishikori, and the Bryan Brothers. We even managed to snap a few selfies because we were so close!”

The avid doubles players in Wendy’s group studied the Bryan Brothers intently, and with some cues from Adriana, picked up a few tips about doubles play. In larger venues, Adriana has introduced “virtual coaching,” in which she creates a Twitter feed to privately commentate the match, play-by-play, for her guests.

“I love it when I can personalize the match for my group,” said Isaza. “For example, if I know that someone has a problem or question about their lob, I’ll make sure to point out good examples during the match. I think it helps them build confidence and play better when they see a professional employing strategies that they are working on as well.”

The group was also keen to watch three consecutive days of Rafael Nadal, and kept their eyes peeled for sightings of him off the court and around town in Barcelona. Though Nadal never made a personal appearance, the ladies had a fine time looking for him at The W Hotel Barcelona. The group’s enthusiasm peaked when Nadal edged out Kei Nishikori 6-4, 7-5 for the 2016 title.

According to Wendy, whose wild popularity is largely due to the many thoughtful and creative events she prepares for her club members, “It was hands down the most fabulous trip! We were able to adjust the agenda on the fly, according to the desires of the group and the weather. Everyone on the trip has committed to going again next year, which speaks volumes, especially since the destination isn’t even finalized yet.”

But Isaza is, in fact, already preparing for the 2017 ATP Tour season. She already has trips locked in for both the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters (April 2017) and the Italian Open (May 2017).

Up close and personal at center court in Barcelona

Tortilla Espanola, prepared with a dash of NYC spice, in a private cooking class