Tennis Training

A tennis sanctuary for pros and beginners alike, Hong Kong Golf & Tennis Academy not only offers numerous outdoor courts overlooking the beautiful Sai Kung countryside, but also, an indoor court for training and social games. The Academy also houses seven outdoor courts as well as two mini tennis courts, ensuring you have every facility imaginable to perfect your game of tennis, rain or shine.

our partner

 

The Rafa Nadal Tennis Center Hong Kong is located at the first-class facilities of Hong
Kong Golf & Tennis Academy. This is the first Rafa Nadal Tennis Center in the region and
is inspired by the Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar in Mallorca, Spain, located where the
tennis player Rafa Nadal was born.

With stunning sports facilities and wide range of tennis programs for adults and children,
the Rafa Nadal Tennis Center Hong Kong offers tennis lovers unforgettable tennis
training, immersing them in a professional environment with the best coaching staff in
the world. Patrons train under the same methodology used at the Rafa Nadal Academy by
Movistar, based on an exclusive training system designed through the experience
acquired by Rafa Nadal and his coaching staff during their many years of learning on the
ATP Tours.

World-class training

The Team

PEDRO PISSARRA
HEAD COACH

Portuguese-born Pedro Pissarra joins HKGTA as its Head Coach — bringing an extensive suite of training qualifications and peerless experience. His most recent role was as one of the main High-Performance Coaches of Women’s Tennis at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca, Spain, where he was responsible for the development of some of the best ITF Junior players in the world.

His deep passion for observing and studying the game made his coaching career start at young sixteen. Our Head Coach graduated in the Humanistic area of the University of Letters of Lisbon and holds a master’s degree in High-Performance Training from the Technical University of Lisbon. Pedro worked as National Squad Coach in the Portuguese Tennis Federation for U10’s, U12’s and U14’s being an ITF-certified Level 1 coach with the Portuguese Tennis Federation and is a Level C-certified coach with the Global Professional Tennis Coaches Association.

GIORGIA VENZI
LEAD COACH

Giorgia comes from Italy, straight from the heart of Rome. She has been a passionate tennis enthusiast since the age of just eight. Coached by the well-known Stefano Panatta, she won the Under-14s Italian National Championships.

From her passion for playing this sport, her passion for coaching was soon developed. She worked as a coach at several sports clubs in Rome and Madrid before catching the eye of a recent started Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca, Spain. She arrives at Hong Kong after leading the Adults programmes back in Mallorca.

With a degree in Educational Psychology and a host of tennis coaching qualifications under her belt, Giorgia is ideally placed to coach, motivate and inspire players of all ages and abilities to be their very best.

ANTONIO LUIS RUBIO PAJUELO
LEAD COACH

Antonio Luis Rubio Pajuelo, an accomplished tennis coach, is fully dedicated to unlocking the full potential of aspiring athletes. With a solid educational foundation in Sports Science, Antonio possesses a unique blend of strategic thinking and athletic expertise that sets him apart from his peers.

During his tenure at the esteemed Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar for 5 years, Antonio demonstrated exceptional coaching abilities while serving as the Head Coach of Adult & Junior Tennis Camps and Lead Tennis Coach for High Performance U15 players and leading a group of tennis coaches. Lately, he exceled as the Performance Tennis Coach for Women U18, by sharing his knowledge with young athletes and manage the top junior tennis players from juniors to professional circuits.

His expertise spans from Tennis Europe to ITF World Tennis Tour events, ensuring that his players are fully prepared for competition. As a player he was No.1 Junior and No.1 Men’s in Extremadura and top junior player in Spain. On the category of +35 singles and teams he was claimed tennis champion of Mallorca in the year of 2021 while achieving the top 100 in the ITF Masters Tour +35.

With his leadership, client relationship management skills, and fluency in both Spanish and English, Antonio is an invaluable asset to any team.

DAMIAN GAYO LORENZO
COACH

Tennis has been in Damian’s blood ever since he first took up the racquet in early childhood, first as a professional player and subsequently as a highly respected tennis coach.

Holding the Spanish Tennis Federation Coaching Development Scheme’s highest honors, his coaching career highlights include working with international-calibre players on the ITF and ATP circuits and serving as Head Coach at the legendary Sanchez-Casal Tennis Academy in his native Barcelona. Damian specialises in training HKGTA’s younger Patrons, with the aim of nurturing future champions. Thanks to his extensive experience working with active professionals on the ATP, WTA and ITF tours, he knows exactly what it takes to achieve international success.

MARCELO PLAZA VALENZUELA
COACH

Hailing from Santiago, Marcelo is a former professional player whose illustrious tennis career began at a young age. A former Chilean number one youth player, he participated in the Junior Davis Cup, reaching an ITF Junior ranking of 220 in the world as well as earning ATP points. His development as a player also passed at the Justine Henin Academy and Club Andres Gimeno as well as becoming a sparring partner for renowned tennis players Francesca Schiavone and Rueben Bemelmans.

As an ITF Level 1-certified coach, Marcelo has gained valuable international experience with roles in Brazil, Belgium, Russia, Chile, Saudi Arabia and now, Hong Kong. We are delighted to bring his extensive coaching expertise to HKGTA.

Mario Saiz
COACH

Mario ranked among Spain’s top 300 tennis players before he turned his focus to coaching. Mario has been awarded the title of National Teacher by the Spanish Board of Professional Tennis, the European Registry of Tennis Professionals, and the International Coaches Institute. He is a highly skilled coach who works enthusiastically to improve a player’s game at any level.

Mario is also certified in Mental Toughness via a programme developed by world renowned performance psychologist and co-founder of the Human Performance Institute, Dr. Jim Loehr. This commitment to holistic tennis development gives Mario the tools to improve any aspect of our Patrons’ performance and game, both physical and mental – helping them achieve their full potential, both on and off the court.

YULIYA YANKAVETS
COACH

Belarus-born Yuliya has participated in and won numerous European and international tennis championships as a successful under-16s Junior player. As an ITF Level 1-qualified coach, she has also studied a Master of Sport, specialized in Tennis before working as a group fitness instructor, with a particular focus in developing young athletes.

After leading group tennis training sessions in Minsk, Bealarus, and Russia, Yuliya took on a coaching position at Ukraine’s International Tennis Academy in Kyiv. Her passion for the young ages, the ability to engage and inspire younger players for Tennis makes her an asset to the HKGTA coaching team.

STEPHEN WU
COACH

Stephen is an experienced coach in Hong Kong, having been coaching for almost 10 years and having developed a love for the sport at just eight years old. Stephen accredits playing tennis as some of the best times and memories he has had. He has participated in some of the city’s most important and competitive tournaments and has trained young stars to engage in them.

Stephen is a coach that loves to share his passion to the young kids as well as grown people willing to give a try on this sport. His M.O. is simple, to use the sport to bring the best out of people and help them find joy in the process.