Cascales: "The key is for Alcaraz not to lose ambition"

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If we were to affirm that this Carlos Alcaraz we currently know wouldn't exist without Antonio Martínez Cascales, we wouldn't be saying anything outrageous. With over 40 years of experience behind him, Toni, as he is known in his inner circle, has seen over 1000 children who once dreamed of becoming tennis players. On December 25th, Toni celebrates the 30th anniversary of the Ferrero Tennis Academy, an academy he founded when it was just a small house and a tree in the middle of a field, now one of the most renowned academies in the world.

Cascales accompanied Juan Carlos Ferrero from day one to the last during his playing career. A relationship as enduring and successful as theirs is rare to see nowadays. This could explain the special bond between Juan Carlos and Carlos. Punto de Break gathered with Cascales to review these 30 years, from laying the foundation stone at Equelite to the present, with two world number 1 players in their path, something unique that only they can boast about.

-How did you start your journey into the coaching world?

At 18, in '76 or '77, I was the only young player in Villena. The others were between 30 and 50. This is why I had better technique than the rest, having started playing very young. Some parents asked me to coach their kids, and I accepted even though I had never taught before. A few years later, I started helping out in a local class in Villena, and some time later, after winning a tournament in Alicante where Manolo Santana presented me with the trophy, I asked him how I could attend a tennis coaching course, and he gave me a phone number. I took the course and set up my own school in a Villena club, and that's how it all began.

-If at that moment you were told that you would lead a future champion and develop a globally recognized academy, would you have believed it?

No, certainly not. In Villena, there were no federated tournaments. It was impossible to imagine. Those things seemed light-years away.

-I believe that a complete shift as a coach happened when you met a 10-year-old kid called Juan Carlos Ferrero. Tell me about the day you met him.

I remember it vividly. It was a September night in '90. I had heard about him in recent months but hadn't seen him play yet. His father brought him to the school because the Federation had told him it was the best option in the area. I had a very good group, and I had him try out with some of the youngest players, and I noticed he played very well.

-During that time, the '90s, it's understood that all standout players went to train in Barcelona. What made JC stay in Villena?

Yes, JC was the first not to head to Barcelona. He felt very comfortable at the school. There was a great atmosphere. I took them camping, out for meals, we had a lot of interactions apart from tennis. There was a great vibe, and I think that's what influenced him to stay. 

-Is that when you decided to establish the Academy? How did you do it, because I believe it wasn't easy.

With the great group I had, which included JC among others, I decided to replicate the conditions found in Barcelona or Florida academies, but on a smaller scale since I had 6-8 players. They lived together, we monitored their food, sleeping habits, outings... providing a tennis environment with the best conditions possible. We created tennis courts, hired a physical trainer who had worked with Graf. I would take the car and drive them to Marbella for training sessions. I brought in a physiotherapist for injuries. For more serious injuries, we went to Barcelona to see Cotorro. Besides my work, I wanted to ensure conditions were very similar to other academies.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Cascales: "La clave es que Alcaraz no pierda la ambición"