Oscar Realme

Statement

My name is Oscar Realme. I worked and trained with Rafael Font de Mora during my time in Arizona from around the year 2002 and for many years collaborated with him. I had the opportunity to observe training sessions and the overall environment within his program.

During that period I saw Rafael work with dozens of male and female players across different stages of development.

I was also present during the period when Anna-Lena Grönefeld won the singles title at the Mexican Open, and in the same event in which Anna-Lena and Meghann Shaughnessy also won the doubles title together. I witnessed firsthand the level of preparation, intensity, and dedication that went into preparing for those competitions.

I had the opportunity to also work briefly with another of his players, Peyton Stearns, in the Abierto Juvenil Mexicano, 2018, in which she advanced to the quarterfinals in singles and won the title in doubles. Training sessions and tournament preparation typically took place in a highly visible environment with multiple players, coaches, and often parents present.

Rafael's coaching style was demanding and intense, which is common in high-performance tennis environments. He could be a very tough coach in terms of discipline and expectations.

However, during the time I was present in that environment, I never personally witnessed abusive conduct toward players. All the interactions I observed between Rafael and the players were centered on training, discipline, and performance.

This statement reflects only what I personally observed during my time working and training in that environment.

— Oscar Realme