Cosme Jubera: Tennis Coach of Future Stars

The family of this native of Logroño has been closely linked to tennis. Not in vain, his father became vice president of the Riojan Federation and his work was so recognized that the “most emblematic” tournament of this sport in the community bears his name, La Vendimia Riojana Memorial Fernando Jubera. “He died when I was 16 years old, but during his life he put all his energy into helping us with tennis in a very healthy way,” says his son. “I stick with their values,” he adds while remembering that, by then, his brother Nicolás was already in the United States.

Thus, when the man from La Rioja turned 18, he decided to follow in the footsteps of his brother, whom he describes as “a key pillar that paved the way for him” and headed to the United States, where he combined his studies with sports. He was in Texas and New York, was named best athlete at his university (Queens College) in 2019 and soon began teaching tennis classes with the aim of earning extra money with which to finance his studies and his American life. “Going to New York was the best decision I could make because I grew at all levels, including sports,” considers the native of Logroño.

For a time in the United States he combined his studies with the active practice of tennis and with classes for third parties until an opportunity arose in Lisbon to work in what he had studied for, Economics and Finance. He tried his luck in that world and confirmed that tennis was what fulfilled him the most, so he headed to Sweden and there his life, in relation to sport, changed. His passion for training tennis players took shape in a definitive way.

It was in the northern European country where that dream of being a coach was consolidated. It was the year 2021 and Jubera entered one of the best academies in the world, called ‘Good to Great Tennis Academy’. “In the Scandinavian country I saw a unique professional opportunity,” he congratulates himself before explaining that there he had the opportunity to work hand in hand with a world tennis legend like Magnus Norman. Finalist at Roland Garros, the Swede became number 2 in the ATP ranking before becoming a coach and directing the designs of players like Stanislas Wawrinka, alongside whom he was named best ATP coach in 2016.

With Norman he agreed on a project to sponsor the best players in Europe, among whom was Neils McDonald, winner of the junior Roland Garros last year. «Working with Magnus (Norman) helped me get into high-level tennis; “He was always exceptional with me,” highlights Jubera, explaining later that he spent two years training young tennis players until he received an offer to move to Barcelona, where he entered women’s tennis. In Barcelona she began working with the Russian Alina Charaeva and that union immediately bore fruit, since they soon achieved a streak of eleven consecutive victories on the professional circuit, winning two tournaments in Spain and the first round of the Andorra Open 125K consecutively. That dynamic could only be broken by Lisicki, a finalist at Wimbledon in 2013. Thus, for a year and a half working together, Charaeva rose through the ranks and is currently ranked 142 in the WTA ranking and with a presence in the Grand Slams.

By then, Jubera had already traveled halfway around the world: Japan, India, Bahamas, Ethiopia… and now the still young Riojan is in Valencia with Pancho Alvariño. The coach “is one of the leading figures in Spanish women’s tennis,” says Jubera, citing, among other merits, having taken Safina to number 1 in the world and having been the captain of the Spanish women’s tennis team in Spain for 12 years.

Jubera is part of a working group among which there are five players among the top 300 in the WTA ranking and recently achieved a new professional title as a coach by accompanying Didi Bredberg Cañizares, a great promise in national tennis, in Alcalá de Henares. “My priority now is to learn as much as possible from Pancho during the last stretch of his career and help the players qualify for the Grand Slams,” the Rioja native certifies, concluding that tennis represents “everything” for him. “It has always been my daily battle, my vehicle, the key that opened a thousand doors for me, my passion and my job,” he lists. “I really enjoy it,” he concludes.