Gstaad Palace - Roy Emerson Tennis Weeks

For almost as long as I’ve written about tennis vacations, I have dreamed of taking part in one of the Roy Emerson Tennis Weeks at the Gstaad Palace in Switzerland. Every summer for more than 40 years, this legendary winner of 12 Grand Slam singles titles and 16 Grand Slam doubles titles has taken up residence on the red-clay courts at this historic luxury hotel, dispensing tennis wisdom and tales from the tour to an assembled group of tennis enthusiasts from all over the world.

It’s not hard to appreciate why this was on my bucket list. Who wouldn’t want to spend a week with one of the greatest tennis players ever? However there was something more: opportunities like this are becoming increasingly rare. It is unthinkable that any of this generation’s crop of Grand Slam title-holders will ever devote whole weeks to teaching and entertaining hackers after they leave the tour. Once Emerson retires—and at age 86 with bad knees, he will eventually—there is no one with anything remotely like his tennis accomplishments waiting in the wings to take his place.

Beyond Emerson himself, part of the allure of these tennis weeks is their location in Europe. After an overnight flight to Geneva, I boarded a train at the airport for the scenic two-plus hour ride, first climbing above the vineyards lining Lake Geneva and then, after changing trains at Montreux, ascending into the Alps and eventually pulling into the station at Gstaad. From there, I could look up and see the turreted Gstaad Palace perched on a hillside above, my home for the next week.

As one of the Leading Hotels in the World, the 150-room Gstaad Palace seamlessly combines elegance and authenticity. It dates to 1913 but more importantly it has been managed since 1938 (and owned since 1947) by the Scherz family. The service is unfailingly gracious and professional, from the bellman who picks you up at the train station to the waiters in the dining room. Recent renovations have kept the rooms—each seemingly a little different—thoroughly up to date. And the creature comforts continue with an indoor and outdoor swimming pool, spa, fitness center, and array of upscale shops.

Emerson’s weeklong program, which runs five hours a day in a setting at 3,000 feet, may seem more rigorous than you’d expect to find at a luxury hotel in the Swiss Alps. Yet he has developed an extraordinarily loyal international following, some of whom come if not every year then every few years. The appeal may begin on the courts; however, because the campers, Emerson, his wife Joy, and several of the pros have many of their meals together (most dining is included in the package price), a genuine camaraderie develops, spurred on by the Emersons’ wealth of stories (they met when, according to Roy, he ball-boyed for one of her matches and was smitten) from the days when Aussie players were legendary for their work ethic, rigorous training, and booze-fueled partying, though Emerson himself no longer drinks.

Camps sizes vary from 15 – 40 (he has access to other courts in town if necessary). Divided into groups of three or four by level, we spent every morning and afternoon working on technique, doing drills, and playing doubles with members of his accomplished staff. Emerson himself roamed from court to court, ensuring that each participant benefited from his expertise and encouragement. When I lost concentration in the middle of a doubles point, he was quick to poke fun, saying, “Try to do your sleeping at night.”

Midweek, the routine is pleasantly interrupted as everyone embarks on a picnic at Ruedi and Helen Wehren’s farm in the Alps, where everyone dines on a sumptuous lunch catered by the Palace chef, complemented by the Wehrens’ raclette and Alp cheeses. Another highlight is the evening when Emmo gathers everyone for dinner at a traditional Swiss restaurant.

The holiday comes to an end all too quickly. On the final evening, everyone gathers for a farewell dinner, culminating in a sing-along with Roy as he performs “Waltzing Matilda.” It is a fitting conclusion to an invigorating and harmonious week.

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