By Héctor Ruiz, Tennis director, Sánchez-Casal Academy Nanjing
ASC has been creating opportunities in live through tennis during more than 20 years. More than 3 years ago we started in Nanjing with a wonderful project with TAC and bringing here our ASC 360 Tennis System®, based on working on the four pillars with different ages. Depending on the age of the player we are focusing more in one or another pillar. Since then, the performance and the results of our players have been successful as in the last Youth Games. We knew that tournament was important, so we were giving priority in the calendar to make our players reach in the best possible condition, working in singles matches and doubles. It was a period of tension and nerves for the players, they wanted to do great. Apart from the usual hard work that is always needed, we were working in a proper way the right pillars, helping the players improve and to find solutions for the different situations that they could find. Teaching them how to play with order and manage their emotions in order to perform good in the thought moments. The attitude and the results were very good, we feel proud of our players. Even if in some tournaments sometimes the results could’ve been better, the important thing in these ages is to learn. Everyone wants to win, but we try to make them understand that even if they lose, they have to perform their best and work hard every day having a good attitude. If they apply that sooner, they will see the success later.
After 3 years in China, I have seen ASC grow up not only in the number of players but also in the results. The performance of the players on the practices and on the different tournaments since U10 is improving day a day. We can see our players growing up as a player but also as a person that is the purpose of what we are working on, building a character in them through values, school and tennis. There has been cultural differences and difficulties, but the important thing is to learn from one another and to look forward, to see an evolution of the players that are here to enjoy and to fight to achieve their dreams.
Players like Majun, Denan, David that have been with us during almost all this time, are three of the players that have achieve gold and silver medals in the Youth Games. In this case Majun winning gold in singles and doubles. David being one-year younger won the last Final Nike Junior Tour of his age, a tournament played by the best players of China were Denan reached semifinals.
We are also making some of our players play tournaments abroad of China with the traveling team managed by Arthur to get more experiences and meet different players. We have the advantage of having two other Sanchez-Casal academies in Spain and the US granting our players to compete in Europe and America following with their practices and learning from some of the best coaches in the world with the ASC 360 Tennis System®.
This is a prove that hard work will reward them on each step of the way. It is a long way where it is important to take advantage of the time but without rushing because each one of the players have steps of the performance to follow.
Personally, I have been an ASC player and coach since the beginning of the academy 20 years ago. These last year and a half here in ASC Nanjing I am seeing what we had in Spain a long time ago when I was starting to play tennis for the first time; players that have motivation, that spread a great atmosphere of effort, respect and discipline.
In China the success rate of sports is high, and they work hard to achieve it. In my opinion, I believe that the rest of the world will start to see more and more Chinese tennis players on the top of the pyramid achieving a top 100 ATP level.
We are proud of the successes of our players of ASC China and we invite you to be part of the experience check out our year-round program of ASC Nanjing.
Héctor Ruiz
Tennis director, Sánchez-Casal Academy Nanjing
