Sitting courtside on the red clay stadium court at Boca Grove Golf & Tennis Club, it’s easy to forget you’re in South Florida. The surface, the vibe, and the atmosphere evoke a European sophistication making Boca Grove one of the most distinctive racquet sports destinations in the region.
Florida Tennis Magazine Editor Matt Pressman recently sat down on court with Dalibor “Nik” Nikolin, Director of Racquet Sports at Boca Grove, to talk about what sets the club apart—and where its program is headed.
“This is our unique red clay court,” Nikolin explained. “In the past, we’ve had a lot of pros coming here prepping for the French Open… this is imported Italian clay, and we are really proud of it.”
Above: Boca Grove’s stadium court is imported red clay from Italy. Photo credit: Boca Grove Golf & Tennis Club.
Because of that authenticity, Boca Grove has quietly become a training base for elite players preparing for the clay-court swing. Nikolin confirmed that several top professionals have spent extended time at the club.
“We had Taylor Fritz, Coco Gauff, Bianca Andreescu recently, and Tommy Paul was here as well,” he said. “Everybody loved it. They spent over a week, two weeks here at our club.”
Nikolin’s own journey to Boca Grove mirrors the club’s international flavor. Originally from Serbia, he played junior tennis before beginning his professional career in Europe.
Above: Director of Racquet Sports Dalibor “Nick” Nikolin inside one of Boca Grove’s padel courts. Photo credit: Boca Grove Golf & Tennis Club.
“My first bigger role was in Sweden,” Nikolin said. “I was running a club in Gothenburg. Then I came here to Boca Raton.” Now settled in South Florida, Nikolin appreciates the year-round tennis culture.
“In this state, 365 days per year we play outdoor,” he said. “That’s just amazing coming from different climates and different parts of the world.”
While the red clay court may steal the spotlight, Boca Grove’s racquet sports program is built around participation, variety, and community. “We are big on social programming,” Nikolin explained. “We have a lot of clinics, a lot of round robins.”
Above: Padel has quickly become one of the more popular racquet sports at Boca Grove. Photo credit: Boca Grove Golf & Tennis Club.
Boca Grove has also positioned itself as a leader in multi-sport racquet offerings. The club was the first in Boca Raton to introduce padel. “We are actually one of the first full racquets facilities offering all three sports,” Nikolin said. “We started with pickleball in 2020 and padel in 2022. Members love it.”
Boca Grove currently features nine Har-Tru tennis courts—including the red clay stadium court—five pickleball courts, and two padel courts. Nikolin added, “We replaced all the parts for the [tennis] courts too — new lines, everything is brand new. We’re ready to go.”
With a full-time staff of four pros plus himself—each cross-trained and certified across all three sports—Nikolin sees continued growth ahead.
Above: A look at the har-tru tennis courts at Boca Grove. Photo credit: Boca Grove Golf & Tennis Club.
“We’re trying to get bigger with tennis teams,” he said. “We’re starting night leagues, and for padel, we’re looking to build two more courts.”
If you’re into tennis, padel, or pickleball, this is a must-see (and play) destination in South Florida. Boca Grove isn’t just keeping pace with the evolving racquet sports landscape—it’s helping shape it.
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Written by Associate Editor Osvaldo Godoy.
