8. BED BUGS AND UNWANTED GUESTS – GLAMOROUS HOTELS AND WONDERFUL HOSTS

When you think of the tennis tour, you wouldn’t be alone in thinking that the players stay in glamorous hotels all around the globe – flitting from one tournament to another and living the good life. And indeed, at Grand Slam level this is the case – even at the junior Grand Slams – the hotels are first class and are located close to fabulous restaurants and social areas. Even at the slightly lower WTA levels the hotels are very nice, and sometimes are free to the players taking part in the event. However, drop down to the ITF Tour and the situation is often very different – and can be quite shocking especially at the W15 and W25 levels – the first rungs on the tennis pro ladder – and on the lower levels of the junior tour.

My mind goes back to a hotel we stayed in in Chile. After one of the longest flights we had ever done we had eventually arrived in Santiago, and at the tournament hotel. As the taxi pulled up outside, we genuinely thought he had taken us to the wrong place but he reassured us that this was indeed our final destination. We subsequently checked in and were given a key to our room. It was grim. The beds were damp, the floor sloped and there was zero air conditioning – at a time of year in South America when it was most definitely needed. However, it was late and we decided to at least stay for that night. Clambering under the (questionably clean) sheets we were soon asleep, dreaming of a new hotel tomorrow. However, our sleep was short lived when at 3am the door burst open, the lights went on and a voice said ‘hi, I’m your roomie for the week!’ Needless to say, I had a bit of a sense of humour failure and quickly advised her that she was most definitely not our “roomie” and should she leave immediately. Thankfully, she duly obliged.

On another occasion, we travelled to Sumter, South Carolina, USA for a W25 event. We had booked one of the tournament hotels so checked in and went up to our room. However, on opening the door it was obvious that not only had someone already slept in the room (the bed was unmade) but that there was clearly an underfloor leak as the carpet squelched as we walked across it and there was mould on the walls. So, we checked out again and headed to the second tournament hotel. Fortunately we met some players coming out of the front door and were warned that this second hotel had bed bugs and the player had bites to prove it! We hit lucky the third time – but needless to say, it was a lot of hassle after a very long day of travel.

When booking your hotels, always try to check them out (at least online) beforehand and read any reviews. Also check their location – how far from the club are they? Is transport provided? Are they close to areas of potential late night noise (clubs etc)? The number of times we have thought our hotel was fine only to find out that it is in an area notorious for late night parties – one of the hotels in Pereira, Colombia being a case in point. The street noise in that particular hotel was ridiculous – every night seemed to be a night of celebration – fabulous if you have been invited and do not have a match the next day, but generally, players simply don’t need that kind of disturbance.

An alternative to hotels is the option of ‘housing’ which in certain countries, is most definitely worthy of consideration. The Americans are notorious for their eagerness to assist upcoming pro players, and in some parts of Australia too. The ‘hosts’ are typically members of the club where the tournament is being held and they open up their houses and not only let players stay but also give them transport to the club and basically, welcome them into their families. Lifelong friends and connections can be made and it is well worth investigating when your player knows which tournament she is playing. However, housing is not recommended for all countries – largely for safety reasons but also it is much harder in non English speaking countries – my player and I tried it once, and all I can say is thank goodness for Google Translate! The culture of the country also needs to be borne in mind – remember you are staying in someone’s home and the way they live may be very different from the way that you do. So just be prepared!

So some advice…..try to research your accommodation before you arrive. Be prepared for the worst and if you think the hotel may not be safe or clean, then do not think twice about finding an alternative. The reality may be very different from the marketing photos online. If your player is traveling alone, make sure she locks her hotel room at night – advice given to us in a reputable hotel in Cucuta, Colombia – as you never know who might come knocking during your stay. Make sure your player locks all her valuables away and try not to commit to too many days when you check in in case, firstly you don’t like the hotel; and secondly, your player loses earlier than expected and you are stuck! Junior players should by the very nature of their young age, always be traveling with an adult/group but it remains a worry for the parent at home when their player (whatever age) travels abroad alone and the accommodation is poor. Whilst I appreciate that young players starting out on the tour have limited budgets, it is essential that their priority for a safe and clean place to sleep and a decent daily meal, is maintained. How can a player possibly perform if she has not slept well and has not managed to get a decent meal.

The upside in the accommodation story is that as your player moves up the ranking, so typically does the quality of the accommodation arranged. So there is hope/an incentive to win matches and be rewarded by improved hotel and club conditions the higher you get up the tree!

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