Our Blog

Pat Cash

Pat Cash came to the tennis world's attention in the 1980s when he turned professional and won his first senior title in Melbourne. Cash established a reputation on tour as a hard-fighting serve-and-volleyer, he became the youngest player to play in a Davis Cup final winning and claiming the cup for Australia. The crowning moment of Cash's career came when he won Wimbledon in 1987. He has now opened a fabulous tennis academy in the Caribbean at Buccament Bay and also works as a TV commentator primarily for the BBC and CNN.

 
Interview with an ex-professional tennis player

Tell us about your academy at Buccament Bay, how it started, and where you'd like to see it going in the future?

We got the academy up and running in 2011 with the Phase One courts, and it's been going well. We are lucky to have one of the greatest locations to relax, play sport and recharge. As the sports facilities including the remainder of the courts and complex are completed, Buccament Bay will be one of the world's best places to visit and learn to play tennis, and other sports and activities as well.

What are the most important attributes that a tennis player needs?

Tennis is a tough sport because you need so many things to play at a top level. Firstly you need to perfect all the technical areas of each shot; then there's the physical attributes of speed, agility and endurance topped with balance and timing. You need mental strength too: there's no clock to run out, so every point is important and it becomes a great mental battle.

What do you feel are the best exercises for tennis?

For the beginner, I think general hand/eye coordination. James Droy (the resident coach) and I have fun games for the younger kids, and tougher movement and agility exercises for the older kids and adults, but in the end you need a bit of everything.

Pat Cash playing at Buccament Bay

What are the most common pitfalls of an average player's game?

Usually technique issues hold players back as most people have been taught poorly. Sometimes it's better not to have had any coaching at all than poor coaching as some habits are hard to break. An understanding of body movement will help, which James and I are happy to explain.

During your tennis career, who did you find as the most challenging player to play against, and what aspect of their game made it difficult for you?

I was lucky and unlucky to be playing in such an amazing era of tennis. The mid-80's to mid-90's were very special with so many different styles and personalities to combat. Players like Becker and Lendl had power, control and variety; Wilander Connors and others never seemed to miss; and McEnroe, Noah and Edberg were precision attackers. All were great players and very different.

What do you find are the health benefits of playing tennis?

It's a total body workout and great for your fitness. It is one of the toughest sports in the world at the top level.

What top tips do you have for somebody who wants to instantly raise their game?

I think it's important to understand the best area to contact the ball. If the ball is too far away, you lose control and balance; if it's too close, you can't swing correctly. Getting the correct place to contact the ball will enable you to hit through the ball better.

How do you choose a suitable racket for, say, an intermediate player?

Rackets are very personal but the main thing is to get a decent set of strings with a decent tension - that will make a huge difference.

How fit does someone need to be to play tennis, and are you ever too old to give up?

I had a chat with an 83 year old the other day who plays three times a week with his buddies. They have a great time and get all the joints moving and muscles working. As long as you can shuffle around, you should find someone to play with.

Which tennis tournament is your favourite and why?

I think all of the Grand Slams are very special and very different in many ways, but sometimes the smaller events are more fun, like the ATP event in Baastad, Sweden, or Delray Beach in Florida. Also I'm fortunate to play in the legends events these days, which are really relaxed and fun so I enjoy every event.

What aspect of combining travel and tennis do you enjoy the most?

Being an Aussie I have had to travel my whole life to get around the world. I hear many ex pro players don't like to travel anymore and I understand that, after 15 years of hotels, airports and tennis courts, travelling becomes far less appealing to some, but I can't stand still for very long. When I first travelled, there were no iPods, mobile phones or internet, so these things make travelling and waiting at airports kinda fun.

For more information about the Pat Cash tennis academy, visit Buccament Bay

With the ongoing surge for the illusive flat abs and toned tum, Elier Castillo, Fitness Expert at Longevity in Portugal, shares with us the best exercise for strengthening your core.

Lee Holmes

Lee Holmes is a holistic nutritionist, yoga teacher, wholefoods chef and author of the bestselling Supercharged Food: Eat Your Way to Health, Supercharged Food: Eat Yourself Beautiful and Eat Clean, Green and Vegetarian. She is a columnist with Wellbeing Magazine and her articles have appeared in leading Australian newspapers and journals, as well as The Times and The Daily Express in the UK and The Huffington Post in the US. Lee’s blog won the overall award at the Bupa Health Influencer Awards in 2014 as well as the best blog in the Healthy Eating Category.

Lizzy Williamson

Lizzy Williamson is a certified Personal Trainer, Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, Presenter, Speaker and contributor to contributor to MindBodyGreen, BubHub, BellaMumma and more. Her workouts have been featured in Lorna Jane’s YouTube channel, news.com.au, as well as many other popular online publications, programs and blogs. Her Two Minute Workouts are shared each week for free to thousands of women who have become part of her ever-growing community. She has also appeared on stage to speak and encourage audience to get out of their chairs and start moving, at Mum Society, Golden Door, Mama Creatives and Team Women Australia.

Jessica Sepel

Jessica Sepel is a clinical nutritionist, author and international health and travel expert. She is also the beloved voice behind 'JSHealth', passionately advocating how to achieve a balanced lifestyle through wholefoods and a healthy relationship with food to her vibrant social media community on Instagram, Facebook and Youtube. Jess is also a regular contributor to Vogue Australia's Spy Style, Well+Good NYC, PopSugar and MindBodyGreen and brand ambassador for CottonOn and Nature's Way Wholefoods and Vitamins. Jess's book The Healthy Life is based on her popular and previously self-published ebook The Clean Life.

Yvette Le Blowitz

Yvette Le Blowitz is the Founder of Spa it Girl, is one of the world’s top Luxury Spa Travel Reviewers, Writers, and Bloggers.She is also a judge for one of the Worlds Top Spa Industry Awards and recognised as being one of the Top Spa Influencers, Bloggers in the World. She was named and awarded also as one of Australia’s Top 50 Influencers in 2017. Her Spa it Girl Blog is read all around the world and she inspires others to feel good from within and to live their own authentic dreams.

Marissa Frew

Marissa is a holistic living and wellbeing consultant with over 20 years experience in her field and a lifetime working with alternative wellbeing practitioners. She’s an inspiring presenter, guest speaker and writer as well as a personal trainer specialising in flexibility, movement and rehabilitation. Marissa is the founder of Rocket and Beets and is passionate about empowering others through teaching the elements of health. Her Happy Body Lifestyle Program brings together the key elements of how to properly lay the foundations of a vibrant lifestyle and an enlivened energetically enriched body.

Damien Rider

Damien Rider, founder of PACA (Paddle Against Child Abuse), stands firm by his calling to change lives and let disadvantaged children know that there are good people to help them. Also carrying the title of Men's Health Man for 2015, he furthers his mission by extending his reach and serving as a role model for kids everywhere. Together with his organisation, he envisions to build a beach safe house to start rebuilding the lives of broken souls by way of ocean sports communities, fitness and work ethics. Damien has broken world records paddling non stop from one coast to another, fighting off sharks and battling monster swells to help make his vision come to life.

Lola Berry

Lola Berry is a nutritionist on a mission to let the world know that healthy eating and living is easy and fun. She spreads her message via TV, radio, instagram, twitter, facebook, youtube, her website and in person, and her enthusiasm is contagious! Lola's energetic, offbeat approach to an often-complicated subject has made her one of the most popular personalities in the health space. She is constantly finding creative ways to help people make small achievable changes in their lives. Her third book, The 20/20 Diet Cookbook, became the number one lifestyle book in Australia. 

Lyndall Mitchell

Lyndall Mitchell is Australia’s foremost wellness expert with more than 20 years leading the wellness sector in Australia. She is the Founder and CEO of Aurora Spa, the country’s award-winning urban spa that employs more than 100 staff. The spa is internationally renowned for treatments and products that maximize therapeutic benefits as well as delivering a sublime, restorative spa experience. Executive Wellbeing Coaching is a natural extension of her life experience in wellness. She offers her clients a deep knowledge of all aspects of wellbeing as well as insights gained from leading a fast-growth retail and wholesale business.