The final of the last US Open not only crowned the figure of Carlos Alcaraz as Grand Slam winner and new world number one, it also served to compare the successes of the two training methodologies that prevail in national tennis. On the central court of Flushing Meadows, an outstanding student of the Rafa Nadal Academy, the Norwegian Casper Ruud, coincided with the most diligent resident of the JC Ferrero-Equelite Sport Academy, an Alcaraz exalted after his victory at the top of the ranking 19 years after his teacher did. They are two different models, but focused on the same objective. An unexpected pulse between Mallorca and Villena to attract and develop talent. Between both schools, authentic high-performance centers, they add up to around two hundred aspiring stars, young people between 12 and 18 years old who study and train in an environment of excellence devoted to their role models. The Equelite academy sits on agricultural land in the hamlet of Casas de Menor, near the imaginary point that separates Castilla La Mancha, Murcia and the Valencian Community. There, surrounded by crops, stands a complex where 70 young players from around 40 nationalities live together. It is also the place where Alcaraz lives and trains since in 2019 Juan Carlos Ferrero exclusively assumed his training process. “The academy is the home of Juan Carlos,” explains Iñaki Etxegia, manager of the center. «He began training there when he was only ten years old, when Antonio Martínez Cascales was leading him, who today is his partner. There were only four players and a couple of courts. Today it is a first-class center. Also away from the madding crowd, although closer to the center of Manacor, are the imposing facilities of the Rafa Nadal Academy, the most exciting project of the great Spanish sports star. Founded in 2016, it welcomes 150 girls and boys. There are also around 40 nationalities, the first of many similarities between the two centers. Another is the student admission process. The annual program is chosen by those young players oriented to a future as professionals. It is also the most demanding. “Normally it is the players who contact us,” says Etxegia. Desktop code Image for mobile, amp and app Mobile code AMP code 2500 APP code “Sometimes they come for a couple of weeks in the summer, they know us, and then they enter that competition program.” A one-year stay with a school year is around 45,000 euros. Both centers give the possibility of studying in their own facilities. Both have certified international schools. The one from Villena uses the British program; that of Manacor, the American, to facilitate its players access to university scholarships. “Rafa has always commented that he had difficulties combining tennis with his academic studies, so he always had in mind to create an academy that had a school,” says Alexander Marcos Walker, educational director of the Rafa Nadal Academy, who does not hesitate to place at the same level the tennis development of the players with the intellectual. “It’s a rigorous program both ways. The first objective is to develop our players off the court. And the second, that they be tennis professionals, but with the guarantee that if they do not succeed they will be able to resort to their studies and go to any university in the world, with the possibility of being awarded a scholarship. “Once they settle in, each boy is assigned a work team, with a head coach and three or four other players plus a physical trainer. A training program is prepared for them and also a competition calendar adapted to their level”, continues Etxegia. The bustle in these places is continuous. “Every week we have 30 or 35 players traveling around the world,” they explain from Manacor. Comprehensive development Aside from Alcaraz, Villena trains players like Pablo Carreño, who premiered his Masters 1,000 record in Montreal, or the young Rafa Segado, the recent U-16 European champion. Young people like Jaume Munar , number 57 in the world ranking or Dani Rincón , champion of the US Open junior in 2021, work from Manacor, who these days acts as a sparring partner in Valencia during the training sessions of the Spanish Davis Cup team. The 19-year-old from Avila has been training there exclusively for the last three years. “Nadal has been my idol since I was six years old and it’s lucky to have him so close,” he explains. His day-to-day includes two days of training, a physio session or mental work with the psychologist. “It is not easy to be away from home, away from the family, but here there is always a coach or a teacher who supports you.” Beyond the comfort or exuberance of the facilities, the key to success lies in the training methodology. “There are no keys to taking a player to the world top, and the training is similar in all of them”, analyzes Etxegia. “But each academy has its style and there are details that make the difference. Our hallmark is familiarity. Many workers from the academy live in the facilities, including Ferrero himself, who has his house and his family inside the premises. We are people very attached to this site. Juan Carlos has breakfast with the boys, sees them daily on the slopes and is very aware of their results. “What has brought all the young people to work with us is the method that Rafa has followed throughout his career,” explains Toni Nadal, director of the Academy and creator of his training system. “It is essential to form a good character, to know that effort is paramount, that you have to persevere, not give up when things go wrong, avoid immediate frustration… All of that is what we try to convey here.” Despite his youth, the Rafa Nadal Academy has not taken long to become a model of success embracing the overwhelming personality of its owner, and has already extended its tentacles to Mexico and Greece. Meanwhile, Equelite is experiencing a new momentum after 32 years of history thanks to the Alcaraz phenomenon. “Carlitos is the perfect example of the type of player we want to train at this academy. He has an obvious talent, but also humility and capacity for work».
