The Ferrero Academy celebrates its 30th anniversary with an emotional documentary that aims to showcase its essence

Andrés Tomás Rico | 30 May 2025 | 10.00

The Ferrero Academy celebrates its 30th anniversary with an emotional documentary that seeks to showcase its essence. Photo: Getty Images.

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One of the most internationally recognized academies is celebrating. The Ferrero Academy is marking 30 years serving tennis and player development thanks to a group of individuals who started with a small house and two tennis courts in the middle of a wheat field on the outskirts of Villena (Alicante). The idea was born from Antonio Martínez Cascales, who in the early '90s was coaching a certain Juan Carlos Ferrero to prevent him from moving to Barcelona, founded his own tennis club to help that teenager become a professional tennis player.

What happened was that Juan Carlos Ferrero not only made it to the circuit, he also became the world number one and won Roland Garros. All the while, he remained a part of the academy, which, besides having the Spanish tennis player, began to evolve into a renowned school, welcoming young talents from around the world to train and strive to become the best tennis players they could be. Players like Guillermo García López, María José Martínez, and Pablo Carreño emerged. But the pinnacle was reached when another student, Carlos Alcaraz, became the youngest world number one in tennis history, making the Ferrero Academy the first to have trained two number ones in the 21st century.

More than a tennis academy

From those humble beginnings with two courts and a small house, it has evolved into a professional, top-level tennis complex catering to hundreds of young players aspiring to achieve their fullest potential. However, this academy is not just about tennis; it includes coaches, chefs, cleaners, janitors, teachers, and many others who go the extra mile to ensure their students feel at home, not only developing as players but also as individuals.

Therefore, they have endeavored to faithfully depict the workings of the academy through a documentary detailing its 30-year history: "We wanted to do something different. Many know us because of Alcaraz emerging from here, but there is a rich history, many other players, and, above all, a lot of effort behind it, and we wanted to highlight that. We are not an academy that takes on a player just to profit from it. Our story is different, and we believed we should start sharing it," state the Ferrero Academy representatives.

Their main goal was to showcase the human group behind the academy, an essential part in maintaining its 30 years of operation: "In 30 minutes, looking back, it's impossible to show all these people and give them the gratitude they deserve, but if the documentary focuses on the people rather than the results, it's all thanks to them." 'Gratitude' is the word used at the academy to summarize these three decades dedicated to training tennis players, as well as 'belonging': "The way the Academy was created, with the support of workers and players, fosters that sense of belonging. This feeling has persisted, and when newcomers with a willingness to learn arrive, it's very easy to keep them motivated. The Academy strives to seek improvement and growth together. It's also crucial that the academy operates in a very horizontal manner. The management works hand in hand with the rest of the staff, greatly facilitating general interaction within the entire team."

Being an academy where most students are young and in school has led them to include dedicated hours for education in their services, although tennis always remains a priority: "A distinctive feature of the Academy is that we prioritize sports over studies. We value both and aim for students to be educated to keep the university path open. Becoming a professional is very challenging, but we work towards that goal. The school schedule is adjusted to the training hours, and the teachers provide personalized attention to cater to each student's personal and athletic needs. Direct contact with the coaches is also prioritized."

After completing 30 years full of challenges, decisions, and accomplished goals, the Ferrero Academy is not looking to reinvent itself or deviate from the values they started with in 1995. They aim to remain true to their essence, as depicted in the documentary: "We hope to continue preserving it, and therefore, we are clear that we need to keep evolving but without going overboard. There must be a balance, understanding what we can manage."

Thirty years offer ample time for a family-oriented academy that always gives its best for the process and well-being of all its players. This is how Juan Carlos Ferrero and now Carlos Alcaraz emerged, and they are not just proud of them but also of all the human quality their staff has shown day after day, contributing to making the Ferrero Academy a benchmark in the tennis world, hoping to celebrate another 30 years.