How to prepare for a tennis match with Pippa Middleton? A Caribbean warm-up!

By Rachel Johnson for The Mail on Sunday

Printed: 05:57 EDT, 5 January 2014 | Up to date: 05:57 EDT, 5 January 2014

I do not actually like holidays, per se. They are often fairly boring if, like me, you might be hyperactive and may’t lie on a seaside for greater than ten minutes with out getting sunburnt. What I take pleasure in doing is taking part in tennis. Actually I’m so tennismad that final yr, when Pippa Middleton challenged my brother Boris to a whiff-whaff-off (a sport of ping-pong), she very a lot put my dander up.

So, on this newspaper, I challenged her to a Miss Johnson v Miss Middleton Women’ Garden Tennis Singles match. In a short time, I heard nothing again, so I bearded her at a celebration. I requested her whether or not she would decide up my thrown gauntlet. Her eyes darted just a little and she or he glanced at her minder earlier than answering: ‘Erm, yah.’ At this level I moved in nearer. ‘Your membership or mine?’ I pressed, whipping out my iPhone and opening up the calendar app. ‘And when?’ To her credit score, Pippa did not yell ‘SECURITY!’ however murmured one thing in regards to the courts at her membership, London’s unique Queen’s Membership, being busy Flip to Web page 50 From Web page 49 at the moment of yr and to ‘communicate to Sebastian’ in regards to the fixture ‘sooner or later’.

Deliver on Miss M: Pippa Middleton has agreed to tackle Rachel on the tennis courts ‘sooner or later’

However so far as I used to be involved, it was sport on. She was clearly raring to go! Then folks fell over themselves to inform me that Pippa not solely runs round in tiny white shorts however can also be a really respectable participant at Queen’s. I realised I would want to do one thing. I could not take 20 years off my age, or add extra curvature to my backside, so I would have to lift my sport. However how? It was at this level that I had as soon as of these serendipitous emails that change your life. I solely had to take a look at the topic line from a buddy of mine who’s a journey supremo to know that every one my desires about winter solar and matchplay efficiency had been answered.

‘Tennis week with Annabel Croft in Antigua,’ the message subject stated, and the textual content started: ‘Now I do know you’re keen on tennis. . .’ I found that the tennis week was not solely with wonderful, leggy, tumble-haired Annabel, but in addition with heart-throb Andrew Fortress – the previous British No 1, Wimbledon commentator and star of Strictly – and the incomparable Owen ‘Davo’ Davidson, winner of 12 Grand Slam titles, blended doubles companion of Billie Jean King, and proprietor of probably the most luxuriant white moustache in any hemisphere.

We arrived in Antigua after a painless direct flight on BA (there are additionally day by day flights on Virgin) and a 30-minute taxi experience by means of inexperienced hills, previous roadside huts promoting Susie’s Scorching Sauce, guava jelly, and tropical fruit, to find that the situation for our week of tennis drills with the professionals was probably the most scrumptious and welcoming conceivable. Curtain Bluff is a refined, family-run resort set on a bluff with two white-sand seashores on both facet of the 4 tennis courts, so I may practise my backhand amid waving palms whereas gazing throughout azure seas to the belching volcano on Montserrat, solely 25 miles away.

The resort additionally supplied so many attractive actions – from snorkelling on coral reefs to Zumba by way of each form of watersport conceivable – that even I might not get bored away from the courtroom.

Who wants SW19? Rachel honed her expertise on the resort’s lovely courts

Tennis and the Caribbean is nothing new – Curtain Bluff has been working tennis weeks for 40 years and the adjoining resort Carlisle Bay has 9 courts – however it’s now an enormous factor. Whereas I used to be on Antigua, Richard Branson was internet hosting a rival pro-am competitors on his Necker Island with Rafa Nadal – 100 novice locations had been on supply at a reputed $25,000 a pop.

However I did not envy them their Necker Cup as mine runneth over at Curtain Bluff. This can be a resort with shut ties to the close by village, Previous Street. It employs many locals, and its Previous Street Fund sends a whole bunch of younger Antiguans to varsity (as a substitute of leaving suggestions, company are requested to contribute to the fund). It has a neighborhood service ethic and a stirring backstory: sooner or later the founder-owner Howard (later Sir Howard) Hulford, a pilot for Texaco, was flying over the breathtaking bluff, appeared down, and introduced: ‘That is the place I wish to reside.’

And that is what dwelling there, for tennis week at any charge, is like: after breakfast, drills begin at 8.30am. Members are divided into teams, and every group (not more than 4 or 5) begins on courtroom with a professional, who will impart his or her pearls of knowledge (‘You are solely pretty much as good as your second serve’, ‘Transfer your FEET!’) as you plough one more ball into the web.

Profitable shot: The gorgeous view from one of many verandas at Curtain Bluff

This goes on for about two hours, after which, sodden with sweat, you’ll head to the seaside, both to lie on a lounger consuming lime coolers, or to plunge into the ocean and snorkel across the bluff, the place you will note tropical fish, stingrays, turtles, and even the odd sea snake.

After lunch, it is again on courtroom in clear tennis whites at 3pm, the place you’ll play blended doubles with Croft and Fortress, who will sportingly cry ‘Nicely achieved!’ for those who a lot as handle a return of serve.

At 5.30pm, the professionals begin taking part in exhibition matches, usually towards those that have been educated with cash from the Previous Street Fund, and who began their tennis careers as ballboys on these similar courts.

At 7pm, everybody gathers of their sparkly Caribbean casuals for cocktails, which is held as soon as every week within the widowed Woman Hulford’s spectacular Bondstyle villa excessive on the bluff. It is the form of place the place actually all the women ought to be sporting white bikinis whereas 007 is lowered into the churning sea filled with sharks.

Additionally carved into the bluff are a brand new spa and a gymnasium, the place yoga followers can do the downward canine because the solar melts right into a lolly of colors and the cicada refrain turns into a crescendo.

I had a ‘destressor therapeutic massage’ in a room open to the weather, the place my tight hamstrings and incipient tennis elbow had been pummelled away to the sound of the waves breaking like an enormous expulsion of breath – out and in, out and in – on the rocks beneath.

Doubles: Annabel coaches alongside former British professional Andrew Fortress

If you wish to depart the compound (and never many do), there’s English Harbour and a bunch of Admiral Nelsonabilia to immerse your self in (our naval hero lived right here from 1784).

There’s the outdated dockyard, a museum and a lumber yard. It is a pleasure dome for yachties, boaties and followers of the Patrick O’Brian books.

Not far away, on the entrance to Falmouth Harbour, there is a sensational French restaurant known as Catherine’s on the seaside at Pigeon Level, which could be very a lot vaut le voyage.

Antigua just isn’t as rock ‘n’ roll because it was, however Eric Clapton nonetheless has a pad right here, and a few pad it’s too – you possibly can see it from house.

And each time we handed a bar, Curtain Bluff’s supervisor, Rob Sherman, informed us tales of Sting or Elton John or Clapton jamming there, again within the good ol’ unhealthy ol’ days.

However I used to be there for tennis. I do not suppose I scored a degree off a professional, however I hit just a few good strokes, and learnt an enormous quantity in concept that I discovered inconceivable to place into observe underneath strain. I do know it is all within the footwork. And for those who determine to lob your opponent, it’s a must to undergo with the stroke.

At tennis week at Curtain Bluff, one factor is as positive and sure as Croft’s forehand: it is inconceivable to not have enjoyable, get match, and make pals. I took my husband, who was the proud winner of the wood spoon on the finish of the doubles event – however there have been loads of lively singletons in proof, who loved mixing with the tennis stars, and who gave pretty much as good as they received.

At one level Fortress supplied to place a distinct grip on one girl’s racket. He took off the outdated tape, placed on a pleasant new one and handed it to her, asking if it was the appropriate measurement. ‘I do not know. How large ought to it really feel in my hand?’ she stated innocently.

So tennis for 4 hours, a yoga class, a spot of snorkelling, and a scrumptious dinner within the restaurant on the seaside – it is my good form of vacation, despite the fact that it must be stated that taking part in tennis in 100 per cent humidity is not any picnic. Nonetheless, it was an excellent warmup for my large match with Pippa. However on second ideas, Pippa, let’s not do it at your membership or mine. Let’s do it at Curtain Bluff.