Javi Ferrer, a pure love of tennis

Now, if you’re a tennis lover that name will automatically ring a bell. No, it’s not Juan Carlos Ferrero, the tall blond player from Ontinyent in the Valencia region. David Ferrer? Almost – Javi is in fact the brother of this famous tennis star who regularly tests his mettle against the likes of Nadal, Federer and, of course, Ferrero.

Javi and David started playing tennis at a young age, following in the footsteps of parents who loved the game and played socially. Their sons were, however, to take things further and make a career out of the sport that has been an indivisible part of their lives ever since.

“We practically grew up at the club,” says Javi, for whom the atmosphere of a tennis club and the gentle sound of rackets connecting with tennis balls feel like home. “It’s not just the sport, which I absolutely adore, but also the social aspect, the camaraderie that goes with this way of life.”

A life dedicated to tennis
A young player with great potential himself, Javi was junior champion, taking both the Valencian and Spanish U-13 titles and finishing 3rd in Europe. Having earned himself a sports scholarship his life was totally consumed by tennis. “I practised, played, practised, played and also travelled a lot but never saw much. After a total of seven trips to Rome all I saw was the airport, various hotels, the tennis centre and one outing to the Stadio Olimpico.”

Though he knew he was going to make tennis his career he opted out of the professional game at an early stage. “In tennis the competition is incredibly tough and the sacrifices required, physically, mentally and of your social life are hard. And then there is the pain. Most fans don’t realise their favourite players are very often competing in pain. When the pain started I decided to pack it in.”

His brother, David, continued and has become a big star, one of Spain’s current generation of top players, but he too had his fears and doubts along the way. “You doubt yourself, doubt whether it is all worth it and whether you’re going to make it. In that sense a tennis player is his or her worst enemy.”

Guiding new players
Having played at a high level and also travelled with his brother, Javi understands better than most the demands made of professional tennis players. “I love the game, it’s a part of me, and I have found my place in it as someone who develops and guides new players.”

Javi runs Los Pinos Tennis Club in his native Javea. “This is not the most modern, commercial tennis club you will find. We don’t have a gym, squash courts and paddle tennis facilities, but we do have heart and spirit – and a fantastic location among the pine trees just a stone’s throw from the spectacular Cap de la Nao, the easternmost point in mainland Spain.”

Although he has modernised the club and extended the facilities considerably, Javi believes it is vital to maintain the true, unadulterated ambience of his amateur tennis club. “This is a club like they used to be, not overly commercial but rather a real social tennis club where adults come to play socially, kids learn important values through sport and everybody stays fit through fun exercise. We form a community and we have fun with our sport.”

The formula is simple but popular, with membership having trebled since he took over Los Pinos. “The facilities are good, but what we especially excel in is the quality of our coaching and the guidance we give young players. Naturally we teach them technical skills and determination, but I believe we tend to beat all local competition because of our spirit.”

Javi is happy to provide a pleasant ambience for and coach both adults and youngsters who enjoy the game on a social level, but for a lucky few who wish to pursue their dreams of making it as a professional he has succeeded in providing sports scholarships and ongoing technical coaching and mental preparation.

“Modern sport is made up of talent, techniques and skills you can learn, determination and character. We can teach a decent player with the right attitude to become a professional but we can’t achieve the same with a young star who hasn’t got the right attitude. That’s why I don’t insist too much when talented players decide they don’t want to make the sacrifices required to progress beyond amateur level. I prefer to work with people who are really dedicated because the level of focus required, the long days and early nights are particularly hard on young people, most of whose friends are partying and living it up while they practice and have early nights. It’s tough, but that’s what it takes to get to the top, and if you want to produce the next generation of great stars you need to prepare them on all levels.”

Spoken like someone who knows the game inside out. If you love tennis and find yourself in the area, drop by and see Javi and his team in action. Who knows, you might even see Rafael Nadal, David Ferrer and Marat Safin practising at Los Pinos.

www.tenis.net/club_de_tenis_los_pinos

Rimontgó also feature properties for sale in Jávea La Nao cape.

New post on at Thursday, 31 December, 2009, 6:56 am and is archived in Lifestyle, People, Sport. Subscribe to answers with RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.