Ramon Campuzano Rojas
Ramon is director of Puente Romano Tennis & Fitness Club in Marbella. He heads the Bjorn Borg Tennis School, is a Technical Consultant for both the Norwegian and Estonian Tennis Federations, and has trained many professional athletes in the ATP and WTA. He completes the roster as a Consultant and Director of the Andalusian Wheelchair Tennis Team.
Tell us about the Puente Romano Tennis Club, how it started, and what makes it so special?
The Club was inaugurated in 1979, with Bjorn Borg as director. The initial idea was to build a great Tennis Club in the heart of the luxury residential area being built around the hotel, and that would be led and supported by a big name in the industry. At that time, Borg was at the height of his career.
What are the most important attributes that a tennis player needs?
You could say that a tennis professional needs to be hard-working and disciplined, besides having exceptional physical and mental attributes needed for this sport. Constant training is fundamental, both on a technical and physical level, to improve resistance, speed, agility and insight. The ability to concentrate is also another very important factor to take into account.
What do you feel are the best exercises for tennis?
Depending on the player’s level and what needs to be worked and strengthened, we can choose various types of exercises. It’s always important to work and strengthen muscles and cardiovascular capacity. Sometimes, even training in the pool can be positive.
What advice do you have for someone completely new to tennis?
To enjoy being able to exercise daily and to not have great expectations in the short-term. We’re talking about a sport where technique is acquired bit by bit; one doesn’t learn to play tennis in a short time span, which is why it’s an incentive to improve with each training session. In any case, the state of wellbeing produced by exercising in general – and by playing tennis in particular – is enough of a reason to be motivated to continue.
What do you find are the health benefits of playing tennis?
It’s clear that when we play a sport, we improve our health, but we shouldn’t forget that mental health is just as important; tennis helps us in this, as well.
What top tips do you have for somebody who wants to instantly raise their game?
The best tip is that if you want to improve and progress in your game, you should take up classes with an instructor. Personalised follow-ups and the immediate correction of any errors produced in movement, in the serve, in the way of positioning the racquet and of hitting the ball, should be pointed out during private lessons with an instructor. It’s the only way of quickly progressing.
How do you choose a suitable racquet for, say, an intermediate player?
I always tend to recommend light rackets that aren’t overtensed with strings. This allows to quickly improve one’s game.
What do you see as the most challenging part of playing tennis?
Not everyone has the same coordination when it comes to using a racquet and a ball. We must accept our limitations and work to improve them, and, this involves being mentally strong. That is the extraordinary part of this game, which works not just your body, but also motivation, determination, self-discipline and concentration.
How fit does someone need to be to play tennis, and are you ever too old to play?
We can all play tennis. We must take into account our physical condition and adapt our game to it. I’ve played with 80-year-olds who still enormously enjoyed themselves on the court. One is never too old to play, if the body allows it.
Which tennis tournament is your favourite and why?
For me, Wimbledon is special. The surface type and the game at hand are truly spectacular.
For more information, see Marbella Club Tennis
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