In my life there are people I have worked with and with whom I have always had good chemistry. They are people you run into and feel you’d like to spend some time with, to talk calmly about important things — and about not-so-important ones too.
With Juanma Esparcia, it’s not just chemistry; it’s also admiration.
As a player, I crossed paths with him in the mid-1980s at national tournaments, and I remember that he played the Trofeo Landatxueta, which I organized.
We both worked at the Nick Bollettieri Academy in Florida, USA, although we missed each other by just a couple of weeks. I returned at the end of 1989 and he arrived in early 1990. He had the thoughtful gesture of bringing me from there a pair of rackets that were owed to me for having previously completed the USPTA tennis coaching course there. A true gentleman.
A few months ago, Alberto Sanz — brother of Eduardo Sanz — interviewed Juanma and me together on Cadena COPE to talk about Bollettieri. It was a pleasure to reminisce about old times.
In 2004, as the person responsible for the Chinese Davis Cup team, Juanma was instrumental in organizing a friendly tie between Euskadi and China at the RCT San Sebastián. Organizing any activity involving China is extremely difficult, slow, and complex… yet it turned into a fantastic weekend in which Juanma helped us at every step. Without him, it would not have been possible.
Later, in 2017, he delivered a brilliant conference at the Basque Tennis Federation Seminar, where he shared with Basque coaches many of his experiences with developing players and top-level professionals such as Guillermo García López, among others. The titles of his presentations were Coaches, Players and Parents: “The Key to Success” and The Coach–Player Working Relationship.
I later had the chance to welcome him at the ITF M25 Kiroleta Bakio, where he attended as coach of the Chinese players Sun Fajing and Cui Jie.
Continuing with what I mentioned at the beginning about “our chemistry,” I must add that he is a person it is a pleasure to work with. In addition to being deeply knowledgeable about the “tennis business” in all its facets, he is serious, reliable, loyal, well-mannered, grateful, sensible, reasonable, patient, entrepreneurial, and always able to put himself in your place.
…and he is a true tennis person (those who are tennis people will understand what I mean).
My friend Juanma, I wish you the very best of luck in everything you do.
Igor Del Busto Madariaga
President, Basque Tennis Federation
Director, 40th ITF $25,000 Kiroleta Bakio
Board Member, Royal Spanish Tennis Federation (RFET)
Member, ITF World Tennis Tour Committee
President, Spanish Association of Tennis Collectors and Historians (ACHTE)
From the very first moment I met Juanma, I was captivated by the closeness, kindness, and generosity with which he shared his knowledge of the world of tennis. I consider him a wise, humble, and passionate person, with an exceptional ability to convey ideas and knowledge. Spending time with him is a continuous learning experience. Without a doubt, he is an inspiring role model for me.
Juanma is a great human being with a unique energy and, in addition, an outstanding tennis coach
Today, I work as a coach, and I still use drills I learned from him. I deeply admire his relaxed, approachable attitude and good sense of humor, while at the same time being professional, intense, and highly effective on court.
