How Royal Lahaina Tennis Ranch Serves Up an Ace

Royal Lahaina Tennis Ranch is feeling the love, and rightfully so. 

The northwest Maui complex has earned accolades aplenty, including the 2018 United States Professional Tennis Association award for Facility of the Year, and it’s ranked among the top 100 tennis resorts in the world.

Whether clients want to play a few sociable sets, fine-tune their game or cheer for celebrity pros, the tennis mecca scores points with its 10 courts — five lighted — and 3,500-seat stadium court. 

Following are five reasons why Royal Lahaina Tennis Ranch is such a smash.

The Tennis Camps
Any time of the year is a good time to visit the Tennis Ranch, but it’s particularly exciting to schedule a trip during one of its instructional special events. For example, at the upcoming High-Powered Doubles Tennis Camp (Sept. 25-29), clients can pick up tips and tactics from Bob and Mike Bryan, who hold the record for the most doubles wins ever. Other coaches include pioneering player and mentor Tom Gullikson.

At the camp, clients can gain valuable insights into serve strategies, practice drills and a winning mindset. The camp package comes with oceanview accommodations, daily breakfast and lunch, video analysis and access to an opening-night cocktail party.

The Resort
One of the advantages of the Tennis Ranch is its proximity to Royal Lahaina Resort, which is a short stroll away from the courts. Clients can stay in the property’s 12-story hotel tower or settle into one of its recently renovated garden and seaside cottages, which feature architecture and decor that reflect Maui’s 19th-century plantation days.

While the Tennis Ranch welcomes non-resort guests, the adjacent 27-acre Royal Lahaina makes a perfect headquarters for visiting players with its pools, beach, walking paths, live entertainment and luau. The hotel’s restaurants provide sustenance before the day’s on-court activities, and its staff are at the ready with recuperative food and drink after the final point.

The Staff
The Tennis Ranch’s savvy instructors aren’t called pros for nothing. Like the ultimate matchmakers, they have a knack for pairing solo players with those of similar skills, and they can outfit guests with items from the fully stocked pro shop, as needed. What’s more, they epitomize the spirit of aloha.

The facility’s team is headed by John Monnier, who has been playing, coaching and teaching tennis for more than four decades. He and his staff run programs for all levels of players, who can sign up for fun and challenging daily workouts, clinics and lessons designed to enhance the performance of each guest.

The Technology
Royal Lahaina stands out as the only tennis facility in Hawaii with PlaySight SmartCourt technology, a state-of-the-art tool that lets clients watch themselves in action and learn from their mistakes. The court features a touchscreen kiosk and six high-definition cameras that stream matches and track players, monitoring their movements and the motion of the ball.

For every shot played on the court, guests can stay in the swing with PlaySight’s automatic line calling, instant multi-angle replays and detailed statistics. They can also upload a video of their experience to a website so they can continue to learn from it — and share it, if they want — once the session has ended.

The Tournaments
Since 1973, the Tennis Ranch has made a name for itself as the host of world-class tournaments, drawing top-tier pros such as Michael Chang, Mardy Fish, Tommy Haas and Mark Philippoussis, as well as celebrity players. Last year it showcased the Hawaii Champions Cup, part of the Invesco Series QQQ circuit starring tennis greats over the age of 30.

Spectators in the stands get big thrills as their favorite players face off across the net. In the past, the tournaments have presented additional activities such as clinics for kids, hit-with-the-pros sessions and VIP parties. Keep an eye on the website for the latest calendar of events.

The Details
Royal Lahaina Tennis Ranch
www.royallahainatennisranch.com