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Ex-tennis pros with 32 Grand Slam wins to offer lessons at Soneva’s Maldives resorts

Soneva is set to welcome two former Swedish tennis pros and one former Australian tennis pro to Soneva Fushi and Soneva Jani during the festive season to offer guests one-on-one coaching sessions and friendly matches.
The first, Thomas Johansson, was at Soneva Fushi from October 24 to November 3, with Jonas Björkman following from December 18-27. Later in the month, Soneva Jani welcomes Todd Woodbridge from December 18-24.
Thomas Johansson’s career reached its pinnacle with an Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) world No. 7 singles ranking in 2002. He also won the singles Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in 2002 where he beat Marat Safin, and an ATP Masters Series at the 1999 Canadian Masters, and to this day he is the last man from Sweden to win a Grand Slam in singles. Thomas also won a silver medal in the men’s doubles at the 2008 Summer Olympics, with his doubles partner Simon Aspelin. After a 16-year career he retired in June of 2009 and since then he has coached the Danish former World No. 1, Caroline Wozniacki, the young Croatian Borna Ćorić and Belgium’s No. 1 player, David Goffin. He is currently coaching Greece’s up and coming women’s singles player, Maria Sakkari.
Jonas Björkman was the former No. 4 ranked singles tennis in the world, winning six ATP Singles titles during his career. Jonas was also a former No. 1 ranked doubles player, winning a total of nine Grand Slams and 54 ATP doubles titles. After retiring as a professional tennis player in 2008, Jonas now coaches other skilled players. In 2015, he was the coach of the World. No. 1 player Andy Murray (July 2017), since 2016 he has been coaching World No. 5, Marin Cilic. Jonas offered tennis coaching lessons at Soneva Fushi once before in December 2017.
Todd Woodbridge is best known for his successful doubles partnerships with Mark Woodforde and later Jonas Björkman. Todd has won 16 men’s doubles Grand Slams (9 Wimbledons, 3 US Opens, 3 Australian Opens and 1 French Open) and 6 mixed doubles Grand Slams (3 US Opens, 1 French Open, 1 Wimbledon, 1 Australian Open) throughout his decorated career. He also won a gold medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics with Woodford to complete his career Golden Grand Slam. In total Todd has won 83 ATP doubles titles, reaching the World No. 1 doubles ranking in July 1992.
Their visits to Soneva’s resorts in the Maldives are part of the world-leading luxury resort operator’s Festival of Colour, a year-long campaign that celebrates Soneva’s diverse array of visiting chefs, artists, athletes, wellness practitioners and more across all of its resorts.
In February, Soneva launched its first ever year-long campaign known as the ‘Festival of Colour’ to celebrate the diverse array of guest activities and experiences on offer this year. Soneva has confirmed a huge line-up of visiting experts, including Michelin starred chefs, authors, wine producers, world champion free divers, astronomers, artists, wellness practitioners, tennis coaches and much more across all of its resorts. Soneva’s Festival of Colour runs from February 2018 to February 2019.
Soneva runs two resorts in the Maldives, Soneva Fushi and Soneva Jani.
Established in 1995, Soneva Fushi is the original Soneva. The No News, No Shoes blueprint for all desert island barefoot luxury hideaways is located within the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in the Maldives. Soneva Fushi inspires the imagination with 65 spacious beachfront villas, ranging in size from one to nine bedrooms, hidden amongst dense foliage.
The iconic resort has bagged several international awards for eco-friendly tourism and green initiatives, including the 2017 Green Hotelier Award for the Asia Pacific region and the Sustainable Hotel Award by the Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific (HICAP) as well as a spot in the Gold List compiled by Condé Nast Traveler China as the Best Hotel in the Maldives and amongst the best resorts in the world in the Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards 2017.
Opened in December 2016, Soneva Jani is Soneva’s newest property and its second resort in the Maldives.
Soneva Jani encompasses a collection of 24 overwater villas and one island villa set in a 5.6 kilometre private lagoon located in the northern Noonu atoll. The resort spans five islands surrounded by pure white beaches, covered in rich tropical vegetation, offering the ultimate in privacy and luxury.
Each of the resort’s multilevel water villas has its own private pool and a retractable roof that allows guests to sleep beneath the stars. Many villas also have slides that transport guests directly from the top level into the lagoon below. Other hotel highlights include a spa, an observatory — home to the largest telescope in the Indian Ocean — and an outdoor cinema.
Since its opening, Soneva Jani has created a lot of buzz amongst luxury travellers with its exciting features such as the retractable roofs and the water slides. It has been named the Best Over-the-Top Luxury hotel of the year by Jetsetter.com, the best new resort in the world by CNN, and the Leading Luxury Hotel/Resort in South Asia and Leading Luxury Hotel/Resort in Maldives.
Main photo (from right to left): Todd Woodbridge, Thomas Johansson and Jonas Björkman.
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Netflix’s ‘All the Sharks’ puts global spotlight on tiger shark paradise in Maldives’ Fuvahmulah

The first episode of Netflix’s new competition series All the Sharks is set in Fuvahmulah, Maldives — an island now confirmed by scientists as home to the largest documented aggregation of tiger sharks in the world.
The global series, which premiered Friday, follows four teams of marine experts racing to photograph the most shark species across six biodiverse marine locations. Its opening episode brings viewers into the waters of Fuvahmulah, a shark diving hotspot in the southern Maldives, where recent research has identified 239 individual tiger sharks over six years — more than any other single location globally.
A peer-reviewed study published earlier this year in Nature.com, led by Lennart Vossgaetter of the Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research in Germany, used non-invasive photo identification to confirm Fuvahmulah’s ecological significance. Researchers found that adult female tiger sharks show strong site fidelity, remaining in the island’s warm, food-rich waters for extended periods during gestation.
The big picture: Science meets streaming in Fuvahmulah
Fuvahmulah, long renowned by divers for consistent encounters with tiger sharks, now features prominently in both marine research and global entertainment. The Netflix episode captures this extraordinary setting as part of a larger series spanning Japan, South Africa, the Galapagos, Australia and the Bahamas.
According to the study, Fuvahmulah’s waters — influenced by oceanic currents and lacking a surrounding atoll — provide ideal reproductive conditions for tiger sharks, particularly pregnant females. The research team documented the world’s highest number of individual tiger sharks identified in one confined marine area.
The scientists described Fuvahmulah as a “bright spot” for tiger shark conservation in the Indian Ocean, bolstered by the Maldives’ national shark sanctuary status.
Zoom in: A friendly global shark race
All the Sharks follows four two-person teams — Shark Docs, Gills Gone Wild, British Bait Off and Land Sharks — competing to photograph the most and rarest shark species at each location.
The series is hosted by Tom “The Blowfish” Hird, a marine biologist known for his dramatic delivery and braided pirate-style beard.
Points are awarded based on species rarity, with the season’s top team winning US$50,000 for a marine conservation charity of their choice.
Though the show leans on reality TV conventions, its content remains grounded in ocean science and conservation. Fuvahmulah’s inclusion in the series serves as both a dramatic setting and an educational entry point into the world of shark biology and environmental protection.
Details: Unregulated tourism meets scientific concern
The Nature.com study also raised concerns about the rapid growth of shark tourism in Fuvahmulah, particularly at the island’s famed “Tiger Harbour.” While tourism provides a major economic boost for the island, shark provisioning and diving currently remain unregulated, with no official national guidelines.
The researchers warned that the absence of regulation — including standardised safety measures and environmental practices — could jeopardise both shark welfare and the long-term viability of the tourism industry.
They pointed to successful models in countries like Fiji, where community-managed marine protected areas (MPAs) have been implemented to balance economic activity with ecological sustainability. The study recommended similar frameworks for the Maldives, calling for inclusive stakeholder management plans to ensure responsible ecotourism in one of the world’s most important shark sanctuaries.
Why it matters: Maldives in the global spotlight
The series premiere and the scientific findings together shine a global spotlight on the Maldives’ critical role in shark conservation. As the world celebrates 50 years since Jaws and enters another summer of shark-themed content, All the Sharks provides a rare blend of adventure, education and scientific relevance.
The show includes conservation graphics detailing the biology and threatened status of each shark species, shifting the narrative from fear to appreciation. For viewers — and for the Maldives — the message is clear: these apex predators are essential to ocean health and worthy of protection.
The bottom line: Fuvahmulah is both spectacle and sanctuary
As All the Sharks captures the thrill of underwater discovery, Fuvahmulah emerges not only as a top-tier dive destination but as one of the most ecologically important shark habitats in the world. With Netflix bringing its waters to millions of viewers and science affirming its global conservation value, the moment calls for action — to protect, to regulate and to preserve this unique corner of the Maldives for generations to come.
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Dive for free at Kandooma, just named Maldives’ leading dive resort

Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives has been crowned ‘Maldives Leading Dive Resort 2025’ at the prestigious World Travel Awards, marking a major milestone as the inaugural winner of this newly introduced category.
The announcement was made at a glittering gala ceremony held on 29 June in Tanzania, attended by tourism and hospitality leaders from across Africa and the Indian Ocean. The accolade honours Kandooma’s commitment to exceptional diving experiences and innovation in accessible underwater tourism.
“We’re surrounded by some of the most awe-inspiring marine life in the Maldives – it’s truly like diving in a living aquarium,” said Mark Eletr, General Manager of Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives. “From graceful manta rays and reef sharks to turtles, moray eels, and vast schools of tropical fish, our waters are teeming with life.”
Just minutes from the resort are world-class dive sites including Kandooma Thila, a renowned cleaning station for grey reef sharks; Guraidhoo Corner, famous for its strong currents and pelagic encounters; and Medhu Faru, where divers drift alongside vibrant coral walls. The close proximity of these sites allows for up to three dives a day – ideal for enthusiasts chasing underwater thrills.
Central to Kandooma’s diving success is its bold ‘Dive Free’ initiative – a game-changer for the scuba community. Guests who stay three nights or more and are certified divers receive two complimentary boat dives per day, including equipment and professional guidance.
“Diving can be an expensive pursuit, so we decided to flip the script,” Eletr added. “Our ‘Dive Free’ program removes the barriers and makes the underwater magic of the Maldives accessible to more people than ever.”
Kandooma’s on-site 5-star PADI dive centre offers courses for beginners through to advanced, specialty certifications and refreshers, as well as private excursions for underwater photography, night dives, and wreck explorations.
With its commitment to sustainability, marine preservation, and guest experience, Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives has proven that world-class diving doesn’t have to come with a luxury price tag – just a sense of adventure.
For more information or to book a diving escape, visit: www.maldives.holidayinnresorts.com
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Siyam World kicks off August with star-studded football camps

No shoes, no stress, just goals! This August, Siyam World Maldives is turning up the heat with not one, not two, but three football legends taking over the island for exclusive five-day Football Residence Camps – Wayne Bridge, Kean Bryan, Andrew Johnson.
Wayne Bridge | August 1–5
A former England international and Premier League left-back with over 300 top-flight appearances, Wayne is best known for his time at Chelsea, Manchester City, and Southampton. His elite-level experience, from Champions League nights to FA Cup triumphs, makes him the ultimate coach for young players looking to level up.
Kean Bryan | August 11–15
A midfield dynamo with a Premier League pedigree, Kean’s career includes spells at Manchester City, Sheffield United, and West Brom. Known for his technical skill and tactical brain, he brings a youth-focused approach packed with energy, precision, and motivation.
Andrew Johnson (AJ) | August 17–21
A former England striker and Crystal Palace legend, AJ lit up the Premier League with his pace and goal-scoring flair. His sessions will bring fast-paced drills, goal-scoring tips, and a whole lot of fun to the pitch.
Each 5-day camp for kids between 5 and 12 years, takes place on the resort’s own World Sports Arena, as part of their exclusive Football Residences programme, designed to inspire the next generation of football stars while having the time of their lives in paradise. Spots are limited, and trust us, they’ll go fast. Give your child the chance to train with football legends, make lifelong friends, and experience the magic of the Maldives—because this is one match they won’t want to miss.
Siyam World has already hosted some of the biggest names in football, with past camps featuring stars like: Francesco Totti, Alessandro Del Piero, Rio Ferdinand, Owen Hargreaves, Daniel Agger or Esteban Cambiasso. Joining this incredible lineup, those football legends in August are making Siyam World the go-to destination for football-obsessed kids and their families.
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