Tennis

Growing up in the 1950s and 1960s, Mexican-American Angel Lopez faced challenges as an outsider in both society and the tennis world. Despite these obstacles, he persevered and became a pillar of the sport in his community.As a child, Lopez's Mexican heritage was discouraged, but he found solace in tennis. However, he felt out of place in the country club atmosphere that dominated the sport. Inspired by the success of Mexican tennis legends Pancho Segura and Richard "Pancho" Gonzales, Lopez realized he could achieve greatness too.In the 1970s, Lopez received support from the La Raza Tennis Association, which enabled him to travel to tournaments and train with Segura. Segura's mentorship instilled in Lopez the belief that success in tennis transcended socioeconomic and racial barriers.Lopez began coaching at a young age, passing up professional opportunities for financial stability. In 1979, he joined the San Diego Tennis & Racquet Club, becoming its director of tennis in 1986. Throughout his career, he has worked with renowned players like Michael Chang and Brandon Nakashima.Beyond his coaching accomplishments, Lopez is most proud of his impact on the lives of young Hispanic athletes. He has established scholarships, donated to his alma maters, and hosted junior tournaments. "Giving back to my community is really important to me," he says. "I love coaching top Mexican juniors and seeing them succeed."Lopez's journey is a testament to the power of perseverance and the importance of representation. As a Mexican-American in a predominantly white sport, he faced adversity but ultimately found his place and made a lasting contribution to tennis.

Unbox Sports: Empowering Tennis Coaches with Representation and OpportunityThe tennis industry has witnessed a groundbreaking development with the launch of Unbox Sports, a sports agency dedicated to elevating the value of professional tennis coaches. Founded by Yannick Yoshizawa, a seasoned industry veteran, Unbox Sports aims to create a new community for coaches, providing them with talent representation, service consultation, and a platform to showcase their expertise.Yoshizawa, who has worked with the WTA and other tennis organizations, recognized the need for greater recognition and support for coaches. "You all make a huge difference and you aren't recognized enough," he told a gathering of tennis professionals at the launch event.Unbox Sports offers a comprehensive range of services to its clients, including dedicated benefits, universal certification, media exposure, contract negotiations, and commercial investments. The agency believes that coaches should not be put in a position where they have to ask for more money or settle for less than they deserve."We want to support you, and if that means being the bad guy sometimes, so be it," Yoshizawa said.The agency has already signed five renowned coaches to its roster: Wim Fissette, Naomi Osaka's coach; Sandra Zaniewska, Marta Kostyuk's coach; Tom Hill, Peyton Stearn's coach; Benjamin Ebrahimzadeh, an ATP and WTA coach; and Carlos Kirmayr, GPTCA National President of Brazil and WTA coach.Fissette, who has coached some of the world's top players, expressed his enthusiasm for Unbox Sports. "I always loved coaching, but looking for jobs, speaking to agents, negotiating, getting the contract done—these were all things that I didn't like and was also difficult," he said.Unbox Sports believes that there is untapped potential for coaches to engage in brand deals and media exposure. Zaniewska noted that coaches have the time and expertise to contribute beyond their work with players."There is space for it, and there is interest for it," she said.However, Fissette pointed out that good sponsor deals for coaches are not as common as in other sports. "They constantly show coaches on TV. If you watch Alcaraz, you see his coach all the time after every point," he said.Unbox Sports aims to change this by leveraging the accessibility of tennis coaches and their visibility on television. The agency believes that coaches can become valuable partners for brands and media outlets.