Novak Djokovic is vying to take control of an iconic tennis club in Marbella, it has emerged.
The tennis legend, 38, is reported to be fighting off investment funds and developers to snap up the Manolo Santana Racquets Club.
The sports complex, built on public land, is currently managed by Claudia Rodriguez, widow of the late Madrid-born tennis star Manolo Santana.
According to El Confidencial, the land concession expires in May 2026, and several parties are already lining up to bid for the 10,000 square metres the club occupies.
Located in one of Marbella’s most exclusive areas – less than a 10-minute drive from Puerto Banus – the club was launched in 1996 through a concession granted by Eventos 2000 SL, a municipal company created under then-mayor Jesús Gil.
Santana, a two-time Roland Garros champion, used the company Rolwin SA to develop the project, which opened in 1997 and has operated ever since.
Today, the club has around 1,000 members and includes six tennis courts (among them grass, clay, and hard courts), four padel courts, a swimming pool, and a clubhouse with a restaurant, shop, and multipurpose room.
Although the concession still belongs to Rolwin SA, the company is largely inactive. Claudia Rodriguez now runs operations through a second company, Racquets Club Marbella SL, which reported €876,938 in revenue and €173,113 in profit in 2024.
Officially, the Marbella City Council – led by conservative mayor Ángeles Muñoz – is required to launch a public tender to award the new concession.
Privately, according to reports, they’ve told Rodriguez they’ll support her continued management of the club, though it’s unclear how this would be done legally, as the law leaves little room for discretion.
The Manolo Santana Foundation
Despite the legal uncertainty, Rodriguez is already taking action. While embroiled in a legal battle over Santana’s estate with his five children from previous relationships, she has created a nonprofit entity called the Manolo Santana Racquet Club Foundation.
The foundation will serve as her vehicle to apply for the new concession, reports El Confidencial.
Neither Rodriguez nor the Marbella City Council has responded to media questions about their alleged plans.
It is believed that Rodriguez strategy will attempt to win the concession through her new foundation, then bring in an investor to finance upgrades to the aging facilities and potentially expand into new business lines – like building a hotel.
She has reportedly already begun meeting with businesspeople to pitch her continued role in managing the club, even though the city has yet to formally open the bidding process.
Meanwhile, other investors are preparing independent bids. Among them is Serbian tennis legend Novak Djokovic, winner of 24 Grand Slam titles and widely considered one of the greatest players in the sport’s history.
Djokovic, who frequently visits Marbella, has reportedly expressed serious interest in leading a new era for the club.
Over his 22-year career, he has racked up 100 titles and over $170 million in prize money, not including endorsements.
He’s said to be considering putting one of his two brothers – both former professional players – in charge of day-to-day operations.
Read more Costa del Sol news at the Spanish Eye.
