Maleeva Tennis Club - Bulgaria

Maleeva Tennis Club, located in Lozenets, one of Sofia's most attractive housing estates, is among the best tennis clubs in the entire country... and the reasons for that are quite a few. For one thing, it offers an impressive variety of first-class tennis courts and facilities. Indeed, the club's centerpiece - the ASTRON indoor tennis facility - is something everyone can proud of. This stunning, specially designed Luxembourg-imported sports hall comprises four standard tennis courts covered with a special high-tech surface produced in Germany that imitates red clay and allows players to move easily and slide. Next to it lie six classic red clay courts where many Bulgarians and foreigners practice and perfect their tennis skills every day. Three of these outdoor courts are also equipped with cutting edge floodlight systems that are similar to the ones used in the US Open.

The people who established Maleeva Tennis Club are also worth mentioning here, because they are... legendary. Yulia Berberian-Maleeva, multiple-time tennis champion of Bulgaria, runs the club and she is actively supported by her daughters Manuela, Katerina and Magdalena. The three sisters are arguably the most renowned tennis players the country has ever produced, winning over 30 prestigious tournaments and defeating some of tennis' finest, including Martina Navratilova, Arancha Sanches-Vicario, Venus Williams, Justine Henin-Hardenne, Amelie Mauresmo, etc. Their positive attitude and expert knowledge have helped them create a top-notch tennis club governed by friendly atmosphere and professionalism.

Apart from her managerial functions, Mrs. Berberian is also part of the great team of hardworking coaches who have dedicated all their time to training tennis enthusiasts and aspiring players of all ages.

But this is just the tip of the iceberg. Maleeva Tennis Club also flaunts a nice little spa centre consisting of a sauna, a steam bath and a hot tub, a squash court, a well-equipped gym where one can attend yoga or kangoo jumps classes, a lovely café, a sports shop selling a wide array of racquets and other tennis-related products, a restaurant, a spacious car park for club members... and a beauty salon that ladies are more than welcome to check out after the exhausting training session on the tennis court or at the gym.