Tennis and Padel

The spring clay season, from Monte-Carlo in April to Rome in May, and the professional padel tour.

Monte-Carlo, Monaco · Photo: Mark de Jong / Unsplash

Tennis

The spring clay season

Each spring the leading players move to the clay courts of the Mediterranean: Monte-Carlo and Barcelona in April, Madrid at the turn of April and May, Rome in May. The best seats go to the clubs’ members and the tournaments’ hospitality guests, so book early. We give the month only; each tournament publishes its dates on its own site. Checked 31 October 2026.

Rolex Monte-Carlo MastersMonaco · April
The first great clay tournament of the spring, played at the Monte-Carlo Country Club on terraces above the sea, a members’ club founded in 1928 with an Art Deco clubhouse. Visit website (opens the official site) ↗︎
Monaco guide
Barcelona OpenBarcelona, Spain · April
The Trofeo Conde de Godó, played at the Real Club de Tenis Barcelona, one of the oldest tournaments on the clay calendar.
Barcelona guide
Mutua Madrid OpenMadrid, Spain · late April into May
Men’s and women’s tennis on clay at the Caja Mágica. Visit website (opens the official site) ↗︎
Madrid guide
Internazionali BNL d’ItaliaRome, Italy · May
The Italian Open, at the Foro Italico, the last great clay event before Roland-Garros. Visit website (opens the official site) ↗︎
Rome guide

Padel

The padel tour

Premier PadelThe professional padel tour
Spain is the home of padel, and the professional tour stops in the Mediterranean each year. In 2026 its BNL Italy Major was played at the Foro Italico in Rome from late May into June, with tour stops in Madrid, Málaga and Valencia and the season’s finals in Barcelona in December. The 2027 calendar is not yet published. Visit website (opens the official site) ↗︎

To play rather than watch, the tennis academies of Rafael Nadal in Mallorca and Patrick Mouratoglou on the Riviera take adults for week-long camps; see sport and motoring. The Mouratoglou Tennis Academy also coaches at Mandarin Oriental Bodrum.

More sport

The rest of the sporting year

Sailing regattasFrom PalmaVela in spring to the Rolex Middle Sea Race in October.
Equestrian and horse racingShow jumping by the sea, Piazza di Siena, the Palio and polo.
Cycling and marathonsThe Giro, the races to the Riviera, and the great city marathons.
Sport and motoringPolo, sailing clubs, tennis academies and driving.
The events calendarThe year’s great events, month by month.

Ask our concierge

The Mediterranean Season Letter

Where to be, every season

Four letters a year, one for each season: the Mediterranean from spring to autumn, and Beyond the Mediterranean, into the Alps, in winter. The one best hotel to book, and the events worth crossing a sea for.