Interview with tennis expat John Lambrecht - "Mallorca - we're staying!"

What prompted Berlin tennis coach John Lambrecht to emigrate to Mallorca with his young family at the beginning of the year? And what did the family do when, shortly after their move, the Corona pandemic disrupted all their plans? How is John doing today? What does his (work) life look like? And what plans do he and his wife have for 2021? I was incredibly interested in all of this – these are fascinating tennis stories from off the court. John answered my questions brilliantly – thoroughly, honestly, and openly. But it's best if you read for yourself and immerse yourself a little in the world of this tennis expat, which demonstrates the power and integration opportunities that our sport of tennis can offer.

 Since when and where exactly in Mallorca have you been living?

This March, my wife, our four-year-old son, and I moved to Mallorca. We live in El Molinar, about a five-minute drive from Palma. El Molinar is a former fishing village with a few small town beaches and a beautiful promenade. This promenade runs parallel to the sea, westward to Palma and eastward to Arenal. It's perfect for jogging and cycling. The little town still retains a lot of Mallorcan charm, which we really love.

 Where did you live before and what did you do for a living?

I was born and raised on the island of Sylt. After my compulsory military service, I completed a three-year traineeship at a local television station in Reutlingen (Baden-Württemberg) in 1999. I worked as a sports reporter, primarily covering the German football, handball, basketball, and tennis leagues.
In 2003, I moved to Berlin, where I worked for many years as a freelance TV editor/director for various television production companies. Since 2015, I have focused more on building my tennis career.

 How important is tennis to you?

I got my first tennis racket when I was two years old. Since then, I haven't put it down. My father was a tennis player and patiently spent many hours with me on the court. On Sylt, I gained my first experience as a tennis coach and, as a teenager, assisted our club coach during the summer months. When I worked in television, I continued to spend my summers regularly on Sylt, giving tennis lessons.

Twelve years ago, I passed my tennis coaching exam. I was always very involved in the clubs where I played. Five years ago, the desire grew within me to turn my passion into a profession. In Berlin, I worked as a coach for the "Courtfighter Tennis Academy." The mental aspect of tennis has always interested me. To further my education in this area, I completed a two-year training program to become a sports mental coach in 2016. Improving mental strength is a central focus of my coaching work.

  How does one come up with the idea of ​​emigrating to Mallorca?

When I returned to Germany in 2006 after a six-month trip around the world, I knew that one day I would live somewhere where the sun shines year-round. I'm not a fan of winter. The cold and the darkness really get me down.

Luckily, my wife feels the same way. She also loves the sun and is very open-minded. When our son was born in 2015, it was clear to us that we had to emigrate before he started school. Ibiza, Australia, and Bali were also on our list, but Mallorca offers the perfect overall package. Connecting to Germany is easy, family and friends are within easy reach, the climate is great, there are excellent schools, the island offers a lot of variety, Spanish is an interesting language, and the job opportunities are appealing to both my wife (a yoga and meditation teacher) and me.

 What expectations and plans did you/you all have when you came to the island?

We had no expectations. Expectations carry the risk of disappointment. However, we had/have clear goals in mind that we want to achieve, both personally and professionally. Furthermore, we were eager for change and had great confidence that the right opportunities would arise. We prepared ourselves well for this adventure.

Over the past two years, we've visited the island several times, exploring different areas to get a feel for where we'd like to live best. We went at different times of the year and spent a lot of time looking into the kindergartens and schools. At the same time, I checked out the job market and made initial contacts within the local tennis scene. Back
in Germany, I'd been in talks with Sunball Reisen for some time – one of the largest German-speaking tennis travel providers in Europe. I had received confirmation that I could take over the tennis base at the Maritim Galatzo Hotel in Paguera.

So the plans were - to arrive, settle in, earn some money and get a feel for how I can improve my professional standing.

 How did things go in the beginning (the time before the Corona crisis)?

We arrived in Mallorca on March 4th. For the first few days, we were mostly busy setting up our apartment, unpacking, and exploring the area. No one could have foreseen that just 12 days later, a complete lockdown, including a strict curfew, would be declared in Spain – especially not for such a long period (almost 3 months).

 And then came Corona… what has the situation been like for you since March?

March 16th (the day the lockdown began) was supposed to be the starting point for our "Mallorca routine." Our son would have had his first day at daycare, I would have given my first booked coaching sessions at the hotel, and my wife would have taught her first yoga class—instead, we had plenty of time to get to know our apartment.
Mallorca was under lockdown for almost three months. Only trips to the supermarket or doctor were permitted. We were very fortunate that our apartment has two terraces, so we could go outside and enjoy the sun. I own a lot of sports equipment and quickly converted our roof terrace into a gym. I played tennis and soccer with my son in the underground parking garage, and we had exclusive use of the communal pool because there were no neighbors. So, during this time, my son learned to swim.

The positive aspect of the lockdown was the lack of distractions and appointments. I had a few half-baked job ideas that I could refine in peace and quiet. This led, among other things, to the further development of ZENNIS – a combination of Zen philosophy and tennis. It unites yoga, meditation, and tennis.
I also used Zoom calls with my coaching colleagues at the Courtfighter Academy in Berlin to develop tennis concepts, offer online mental coaching, optimize my website, and contact potential partners. In retrospect, the "forced Corona break" was very productive.

Since we arrived with a small financial cushion and our fixed costs are manageable, we weren't too worried about the lack of income at first. We had some quality family time at home. My son enjoyed playing with us for hours every day, and my wife and I didn't get on each other's nerves – we still love each other… ;)

 What exactly does your daily routine look like right now?

Our son is usually in daycare from 9 am to 4 pm. I give my coaching sessions from Monday to Saturday and have already built up a small clientele of long-term residents. I primarily work in Arenal, Palma, and Paguera, so in the southwest of the island. I'm also trying to expand my network with hotels in Mallorca and establish collaborations with tennis clubs and coaches in Germany. My wife is doing something similar; she's gradually establishing herself here as a yoga and meditation teacher and already offers well-booked courses.

Because there were almost 80% fewer tourists on the island this year, I had plenty of time to play tennis. After such a short time, I've already become quite well-connected in the Mallorcan tennis scene and have plenty of playing partners. There are also many tennis tournaments in Mallorca. I participated in several and didn't do too badly. I won an ITF tournament at Rafa Nadal's facility in Manacor and won the Mallorca Championship in September and the Balearic Championship in November in the singles category, both in the 35+ age group.

When I'm not on the tennis court, I enjoy the beautiful weather, learn Spanish, explore the island and plan my projects for 2021.

 How do you experience (family) life and work in Spain?

For us, life in Mallorca has definitely been a step up in quality. Of course, this year is special because of Corona. But that affects everyone in the world. Everyone has their own personal Corona story to tell. My wife and I are positive people. The situation is what it is, and we have to make the best of it. Naturally, things haven't gone as well economically as we had hoped, but millions of other people have unfortunately suffered far worse from the "Corona situation," and therefore we don't want to complain. It's truly heartbreaking to see how many livelihoods are at stake and, sadly, failing. A region like Mallorca, where tourism is the main source of income, will feel the effects of this crisis for some time to come.

But even in this situation, we need to focus on the positive. Our son has settled in wonderfully, and we've already made a large circle of friends. Out of necessity, the people who live here have more free time this year, so we meet up more often at the beach and get to know each other better. The interaction is more intense than in the "normal," hectic everyday life of the season.
I find the Spanish to be very helpful and friendly. At most tennis clubs, I've been met with open arms, which makes working there much easier.

 How does working as a coach in Spain differ from working in Germany?

I'm not someone who needs a weekly work routine. I've been self-employed for almost 20 years, and no two work weeks are the same. As a traditional club coach in Germany, I personally would risk falling into a rut. Because as a club coach, you generally have pretty much the same daily routine every week, or rather, the same groups and students on the same tennis court. And that's something I struggle with.

I thoroughly enjoy coaching my regular clients in Mallorca, but I also enjoy having new tennis students on the court regularly. Working with holidaymakers is very pleasant. They're relaxed when they come to play tennis. They're neither stressed from work nor preoccupied with everyday worries back home. The atmosphere on the court is much more relaxed. And learning is easier in a positive atmosphere. I get great satisfaction when a client leaves the court in a good mood after their lesson, knowing I've helped them improve their tennis and given them new insights.

I also really enjoy working with the international crowd in Mallorca. This year, I've had clients from Sweden, England, the USA, and Israel, among others. They're interesting people with whom I enjoy exchanging ideas. In addition, I'm also booked through a concierge service. These are usually somewhat wealthier guests who are staying at a finca with a private tennis court and want to take tennis lessons there. And I'm really looking forward to organizing and coaching training camps for teams. So, all in all, working as a tennis coach here is more varied than in Germany, and the conditions are excellent. The fantastic climate is a huge plus. At the beginning of December, I was giving a training session at 9 a.m. in 15-degree weather – that automatically increases your motivation to play sports.

 Continue or plan B? What are your plans for 2021?

Unfortunately, it's already becoming clear that normal travel tourism won't be possible in 2021 either. Speculating about when things will start up again is unnecessary mental stress, because we have no control over it or can influence it.

Nevertheless, I am fully convinced that I will further establish myself here as a tennis coach. Therefore, I have clear goals for 2021. The first ZENNIS Retreat, which I am organizing together with my wife, will take place in Mallorca in October 2021. This year, I unfortunately had to cancel it in October due to Covid. We had rented a fantastic finca with a private clay tennis court. A private chef would have catered for the culinary needs of the maximum of 8 participants. More information about this exclusive 7-day tennis holiday can be found on your website and mine.

Then, of course, I'm happy to welcome any holidaymaker who comes to Mallorca and wants to train with me. Especially in the southwest (Arenal – Paguera), I work with several hotels and use the courts of the local tennis clubs. There are some beautiful facilities in this region.

Furthermore, I would like to collaborate more closely with tennis clubs from Germany and support them in organizing tennis trips to Mallorca, coaching their teams on-site. However, my primary target group remains the international permanent residents who live in Mallorca for most of the year. After all, there are hardly any tourists on the island from November to April.

 What do you love about living in Mallorca?

As someone born and raised on the island of Sylt, I naturally love having the sea right on my doorstep. With my son, it only takes two minutes from home to the beach. It often brings back memories of my childhood. I enjoy the short distances and the relaxed traffic (at least in the off-season). And the weather is a huge plus. When I go for a jog along the beach at 7 a.m. and the sun is shining, it's the perfect start to the day. I can play tennis outside all year round, unless it's raining, which was rather rare in 2020.

I'm happy for my son that he's growing up with English and Spanish in kindergarten. He's learning the languages ​​naturally, and languages ​​are simply a great door opener later in life.

After eight months in Mallorca, the conclusion is entirely positive… I earn money doing what I love, I can exercise all day, the sun shines (most of the time), I can spend lots of time with my family, and everyone is healthy. If friends and family can visit us again next year, then we'll have everything we need to be happy. My wife and I regularly tell each other that taking this step was the best decision we ever made.

Want to try something new?

Then a ZENNIS retreat with John and his partner Nina-Gyana would definitely be right for you. The combination is exciting and will help you improve not only your tennis skills. Plus, you'll enjoy a wonderful holiday atmosphere on a private Mallorcan finca.

The next ZENNIS retreat is planned for Mallorca from October 2nd to 9th, 2021 .

TO THE ZENNIS RETREAT