From wonder boy to authoritative voice of tennis

Pedro Domínguez was a wonder child of Malaga tennis before dedicating part of his life to the discipline from another perspective. Today he is 28 years old and is an authoritative voice, recently serving as vice president of the Andalusian Tennis Federation. He started playing at the age of five at the Málaga Tennis Club, as a result of family tradition, an organic and beautiful way to get started in any activity. “My father had played at an amateur level,” he points out. «He signed me up for tennis classes and I started to get better and better. “I was training here until I was 16,” he says about this first part of his life.

He went to Seville later, until he was 19, to continue training with the Andalusian. Things of destiny, in the body in which he currently holds a management position. His life took a turn a year after he came of age: he went to the United States to study for a degree, on a scholarship, and to continue playing the sport he loves. To the University of Arkansas, specifically. There he played in the First Division of the American League, taking care of his studies and without neglecting his passion. Before returning to Malaga capital, where he lives today, at the age of 28, he spent a summer working at a tennis club in New York. And today, he lives this sport from a different perspective and works for the British multinational Deloitte from the Costa del Sol.

His two mentors were José Carlos Lacambra and Gabriel Haro. His coaches and his sports ‘fathers’, through whom he began to love tennis, in part. At the age of 12 he was proclaimed champion of Spain’s junior team, at the age of 14 he did the same in the children’s category and at the age of 16 he became the national doubles champion. «I remember the Spanish championships as something very special. “They are the best memories I have from that time without a doubt,” he says. In addition, he was regional champion in all categories except the absolute one, in which he had to settle for the doubles crown. For him, the position he now holds in Andalusia is a nice challenge and also a relief. “I missed being around, because tennis is what I’m passionate about,” he admits.

He managed to score ATP points

On a macro scale, he has also played in European championships and has represented Spain in the junior Davis Cup. Then, he says, he was not so aware of how complex it was to get far in this big, small world. «I saw that I had a very good level and at 16 or 17 years old I got my first ATP point. I got to be in the ‘ranking’ and got seven or eight,” he recalls. “I decided to take another route, due to the importance of studies and how complex tennis was,” he assumes.

In Andalusia he serves, specifically, as economic vice president and delegate in Malaga. «I started in June and what I’m trying right now is to get closer to people and listen, because even though I’m a geek about this and knowing what happens and what doesn’t happen, I haven’t been in it for three or four years. the day to day. So I want to understand the problems, offer solutions and promote and develop tennis in Andalusia as best as possible. “Reach as many children as possible,” he commented.

This conversation was held, curiously, a few minutes after Rafa Nadal made his retirement official after the Davis Cup Final 8, which will be held at the Martín Carpena in Málaga. «We are not aware that we are going to host Davis and Billie Jean King, and if we add to that that it seems that Alcaraz and Nadal are coming to say goodbye in Malaga. We are privileged and we must enjoy it to the fullest. We must give him a special show. “Make him feel the way he has made us feel all these years,” he said, noticeably surprised by the news, the most important of the year in the tennis universe.

Thus, Málaga continues to consolidate itself as the capital of the tennis world championship. This will be the case for the third consecutive year. “This will mean that there will be more and more children who love tennis, which is a sport with values ​​that are brutal and that will help them throughout their lives,” he says. He is confident that the impact this edition will have will be the greatest in the history of the competition in Malaga. «As Spaniards, last year we could not count on our team. This year we can expect more and we can aspire for everything. Dream big and think that we can win with the team we bring, although the first thing will be to beat Holland in the first round. “I think we will have many options,” he adds.

And before the big event, another high caliber tournament: the Billie Jean King Cup. «The good thing is that we will have fifteen days full of tennis, both women’s and men’s. It is clear that we will reach many people, both male and female audiences. And Spain also arrives very strong. Paula Badosa, our number one, is having a fantastic year,” he says. Optimistic, he predicts touching the sky twice.