Courtside Chats: Tennis Talk at Budock Vean

As Wimbledon season approaches, here at Budock Vean Hotel & Spa we are delighted to celebrate this quintessentially British sporting event. Launching on Monday 30th June, we invite you to enjoy our Wimbledon Afternoon Tea — a delicious selection of freshly prepared sandwiches, homemade fruit or plain scones, a selection of themed desserts, and of course a glass (or jug) of Pimms! To mark the occasion, we caught up with our resident tennis coach and Access Tennis founder, who runs our popular tennis breaks.

In our Q&A, he shares what makes Budock Vean Hotel & Spa such a special place to play, his coaching journey, and why the spirit of tennis— much like Wimbledon itself—is all about connection, joy, and learning.

How did your journey into tennis coaching begin?

I have always been really into sports of all kinds from a very young age, including tennis, football, hockey, badminton and surfing. However, I got into tennis coaching about 12 years ago when I started to play more regularly again and found it to be a great medium to merge my passions for teaching and helping others, with something as fun as tennis!

You run some fantastic tennis workshops through Access Tennis. What inspired you to start hosting them at Budock Vean Hotel& Spa?

I have had a great connection for a while now, with a lot of the local players who play at ‘Trebah Tennis Club’ which Budock Vean Hotel & Spa kindly host. So, it’s been a natural progression to start running more sessions here and offering more to guests of the hotel as well. Also living within one mile of the hotel makes me very grateful to feel connected to the local area and what’s going on at such a lovely venue.

What makes Budock Vean Hotel & Spa such a special destination for tennis?

The Budock Vean Hotel & Spa is such a lovely place to play and coach tennis, one of the main reasons being its location. It’s situated in such a lovely part of Cornwall, being on the Helford River, in a beautiful quiet area making it seem like a calm and relaxed environment, even in the height of summer!

What can guests expect from a tennis break at Budock Vean Hotel & Spa?

Guests can expect lots of tennis, all based around fun, sharing, socialising and learning. All tennis breaks are geared towards doubles play, which is the most popular form of the game and is played by most players. Tennis Breaks at Budock Vean are played in a very friendly, relaxed environment where players will learn lots about how to improve their game, including tactics, different kinds of shots and how to ultimately enjoy the game more!

What do you enjoy most about being a coach?

One of the most enjoyable things for me about being a tennis coach is that I get to interact and connect with all sorts of people at a core, and often meaningful level. Watching and helping players grow and develop is such a joy to see, and to be involved, even just with a small part of that process feels great, and that I get to play a game as my job!

What does a typical day look like as a tennis coach?

A typical day can vary quite a lot depending on the season, time of year and weather, but that’s part of the flow you have to embrace living in the UK! Generally, a day might consist of:

• A group lesson for a couple of hours in the morning, followed by a private 1:1 lesson or two
• Some admin for a couple of hours in the afternoon (ideally combined with a surf or visit to the beach!)
• Then another private lesson or two in the evening.

Some days more lessons, some days fewer, but I like the balance and flexibility of varying work days because it keeps me feeling fresh with each new lesson!

Who is your tennis role model and why?

Roger Federer. I think there are not many better role models in life than Roger…his talent for the game and kind, caring attitude, inspires many to get on the court and give it a go. I like that mindset and try to relay even just a small amount of this vibe when I coach!

What is the most rewarding moment of your coaching career so far?

I have a few of these moments…but I will give two! One personal proud and rewarding moment probably would be, organising my first few tennis holidays over the past three years. It has always been a dream to coach tennis abroad and seeing this come to light and having people I know come along and support me meant a lot.

Another would be when coaching in primary schools. I get a huge kick out of teaching children and am constantly learning from them and how they might see things. Often during these sessions, children will come up to me and say how much they love tennis, which is often reinforced by the parents. There is no better feeling than this to me really.

How can someone join a future tennis break at Budock Vean Hotel & Spa?

Simply visit the Budock Vean website, discover details regarding our next Tennis Break which takes place from Sunday 29th June to Friday 4th July 2025, and book on! Alternatively contact me via email to ask any further questions about the break!