Mohammed Ben Hammou: ‘We are more than just a sports club; people come here to play sports and enjoy themselves’

Mohammed Ben Hammou is the technical director of the M'Sallah Garden Sports Club, located in the centre of Tangier and one of the first to open in the city. The club has numerous tennis and paddle tennis courts, as well as dance floors and a magnificent restaurant.

How many years have you been working here? 

I have been involved in tennis for over 50 years. My father worked at this club as a tennis coach. I have been a player, director, and tennis coach here at M'Sallah Garden for over 35 years.  

What facilities does the M'Sallah Garden Sports Club have?  

We have good facilities: we have four tennis courts, four paddle tennis courts, which are new, as well as basketball, football and volleyball courts and a pelota court. We are a federated club: we belong to the Moroccan Tennis Federation, and we have top-quality clay tennis courts.  

Where do the people who come to play here come from? Do you have to be a member? 

This club is special because there are many foreign players who come to use our facilities: we have Spanish, French and English customers, among others. It is possible to become a member, although it is not compulsory: in fact, most customers come with a pre-booked session to play for a day, which costs 100 dirhams per person per hour. Although the club is affiliated with the federation, it operates like any other. So, if you want to become a member, the price is only 3,000 dirhams per year. The only additional cost is for private lessons, which you pay to the instructor. But as a member, you only need to book the court in advance to play.  

How many members does the club have right now?  

We have around 120 adult members and about 50 minors. We teach children to play basketball, tennis, paddle tennis... We have a tennis school with children who come to play every Wednesday and Saturday. The advantage of our club and the climate in Tangier is that we can play all year round... except when it rains.  

What were the origins of the club?  

The M'Sallah Garden Sports Club is the first club in Morocco: it was created in 1930 with the support of an English company called Minzah. It is more than just a sports club: people do not just come to play sports, they also come to enjoy themselves and spend the evening on our dance floors.

A substantial proportion of our customers come from all over the country, and many of them come to listen to the pianist. In recent years, we have also noticed an increase in the number of customers from Europe, partly due to the quality of our courts.  

After playing tennis, you need to recharge your batteries. Do you also have a restaurant?  

Yes, our restaurant is called Le Royal de Minzah and offers excellent service. It is a restaurant with a Moroccan chef who serves international cuisine, as well as couscous every Friday.  

What would you say to a Spaniard, a businessperson or an investor who wants to come to Tangier? Why should they become a member of the M'Sallah Garden Sports Club?  

Some people come to play tennis, others come to eat at the restaurant, and others come to play paddle tennis... I am here with the coach and every day I see Spanish, French, Qatari and English customers... Because this club, unlike the others, has a history that the others do not have, as well as a good, high-quality restaurant.