Coaches

ISMAEL MACIÁ SERRANO (SPAIN)

CEO of IMS Tennis

Ismael Macia Serrano is a certified Tennis Coach from Spain with RFET (Royal Spanish Tennis Federation) and ICI (International Coaches Institute) certifications specializing in junior development athletes. Graduated in Sports Science and Physical Activity and completed Master’s program in Development, Innovation and Performance in Tennis.

Ismael has coached in several well-known prestigious tennis Academies such as JCFerrero-Equelite, Vilas Tennis Academy, and Sanchez-Casal Tennis Academy. Ismael is highly experienced in training players of all ages and stage levels, having worked with younger players starting with red ball, junior competition groups, as well as adults playing for leisure or wanting serious hitting sessions. Ismael is able to adapt the lesson to the player’s needs. He will be able to help his clients achieve their goals on a technical, tactical, physical and mental level.

Ismael is currently living in Chiang Mai (Thailand).

IGNACIO SALOM (SPAIN)

Head Coach

WhatsApp number: +34 645107600

Phone number: +65 82743489

My name is Ignacio “Nacho” Salom and I’m from Palma de Mallorca, Spain. I’m 28 years old and I have almost 10 years of experience of coaching. As a player, I have 20 years of competitive experience including one year in NCAA division 2 & three years in NAIA division. Additionally, I have eight years of coaching experience working with players of all ages and skill levels, ranging from total beginners to advanced juniors.

I was lucky enough to grow up in a family in which tennis was a big thing. Both my father and uncle played tennis from an early age, and they were quite successful as juniors at Regional level. Furthermore, my uncle became a tennis coach and has been since then. He actually runs his own tennis club in Palma. He soon taught me the importance of working hard, and I would always work hard because “hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work”.

Apart from tennis, I like playing any kind of racquet sports (specially ping-pong), football (soccer) and basketball. I used to play golf as a kid until I was 10 years old but I found it quite boring compared to tennis. Also, I had the chance of getting introduced to pickleball at my last overseas position in the Caribbean. I like spending time in the gym as it’s been part of my life since I was in College in the U.S.

EXPERIENCE

I had the pleasure to be the Tennis Pro at the new Richard Branson’s Son Bunyola Hotel in Mallorca where its single court oversees the Mediterranean. Jul 2023 – Nov 2023.
My last job overseas was being the PBI Tennis Director at the astonishing Four Seasons Resort Nevis (Top 10 Tennis Resorts in the World) in the West Indies, where I was in charge of all activities regarding racquet sports. This included tennis and pickleball. Oct 2022 – May 2023.
I spent the summer of 2022 working at the famous PBI resort, Bio Hotel Stanglwirt in Austria delivering high quality private and group lessons as well as performing clinics and adults & kids weekly camps. Jul – Sept 2022.
I was part of the coaching team training high performance ITF-level juniors at the renowned Vilas Tennis Academy in Palma de Mallorca, Feb 2021 – Jul 2021.
My first overseas position was as the PBI Tennis Director at the ultra-luxurious hotel La Samanna in St. Martin, FR, Dec 2018 – Jan 2020.

QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor of Science: Business Management & Marketing
+300hrs PBI Training Certificate

JUNICHI “JJ” MINAKATA (JAPAN): coming soon…

High Performance Tennis Coach

Junichi “JJ” Minakata is a former NCAA Division I collegiate player with extensive experience coaching high-performance juniors, competitive adults, and aspiring professional players. In addition to his collegiate career, he has competed on the ITF Junior Circuit and selected ITF/UTR tournaments, and continues to pursue his own development as a high-level player, maintaining a strong connection to the demands of competitive tennis.

JJ most recently coached at Renouf Tennis Centre in Wellington, New Zealand, working under New Zealand’s Davis Cup coach. In this role, he was closely involved in the long-term development of junior athletes, with a strong emphasis on match tactics, technical refinement, and preparation pathways for U.S. college tennis (NCAA Division I and II).

Beyond private coaching, JJ has also supported young aspiring professional players from Japan during ITF and Challenger-level tournaments, providing on-tour assistance, match preparation, and performance support. This exposure to the international tournament environment informs his coaching approach and allows him to bridge the gap between training court work and real competitive demands.

JJ’s coaching philosophy is built around structured, purposeful training designed to produce measurable improvement. His areas of focus include:

• Efficient biomechanics, including serve mechanics, movement, and stroke production

• Tactical awareness, point construction, and match-play decision-making

• Mental discipline, competitive habits, and professionalism on and off the court

While JJ specialises in high-performance and competitive player development, he also works with motivated adults and juniors of all levels, tailoring each session to the individual’s goals — whether preparing for competition, refining technique, or building a deeper understanding of the game.

He believes that effective coaching goes beyond simply feeding balls, and that consistent progress comes from clear structure, intelligent training design, and accountability.