Spanish tennis has always produced standout players, especially on clay courts. The pioneers were Manuel Santana, Andres Gimeno, and Manuel Orantes. Later, between the 1990s and 2000s, stars such as Carlos Moya, Juan Carlos Ferrero, and David Ferrer carried the torch. This era also marked the beginning of Rafael Nadal’s legendary career, and today, Carlos Alcaraz is the sport’s central figure in Spain.
However, during the 1970s and 80s, there was one player who stood out: Jose Higueras. A former top 10 player, he captured 16 ATP singles titles and reached the doubles final at Roland Garros.
In the 1960s and 70s, Spanish men’s tennis was dominated by three central figures: Gimeno, Santana, and Orantes. Higueras emerged in the next generation, a young talent from Andalusia who came ready to challenge the top players of the era, including Guillermo Vilas, Yannick Noah, Jimmy Connors, and Ivan Lendl, among others.
Higueras’ remarkable career and unique playing style
Jose Higueras was born in 1953 and turned professional by 1973. His playing style was notoriously challenging for opponents of his era. Known for his incredible stamina, Higueras was a master at wearing down rivals, relying on consistent, low-risk shots that often forced errors from his opponents.
Jose Higueras serves during a clay tournament in 1983. (Getty Images)
Many of the top players of the 1970s and 80s preferred to avoid facing him, knowing they could be in for a long, grueling match—especially on clay, his favorite surface.
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Higueras’ career spanned from 1973 to 1986. During that time, he claimed 16 ATP singles titles—15 on clay and one on hard court—and reached a career-high world ranking of No. 6 in 1983. In doubles, he won three titles and reached the 1978 Roland Garros final alongside Manuel Orantes, ultimately falling to Americans Gene Mayer and Hank Pfister.
Retirement and coaching elite players
After retiring from professional tennis, Higueras turned his focus to coaching, guiding some of the biggest names in the sport. Among his pupils were Pete Sampras, Jim Courier, Michael Chang, Carlos Moya, Guillermo Coria, and Sergi Bruguera. In 2008, he also worked with none other than Roger Federer, though their partnership was relatively short-lived.
His time with Federer and why he left
By 2008, Roger Federer was already the world’s top player, well on his way to becoming a legend. Ahead of the European clay-court season and with the goal of winning Roland Garros for the first time—a tough task at the time with Rafael Nadal in the mix—Federer brought in Jose Higueras to assist him during that part of the year.
Higueras helped Federer capture the title in Estoril, reach the final in Monte Carlo, and suffer a surprising first-round loss in Rome. Despite some uncertainty in their relationship, they continued working together. At Roland Garros, Federer ultimately fell in the final to Nadal.
Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal pose with their trophies after the 2008 Roland Garros final. (Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Their partnership lasted only a short time, as Higueras was soon approached by the USTA (United States Tennis Association). In a 2024 interview with Punto de Break, he recalled: “When Federer won the 2008 US Open, the USTA guaranteed me an 8–10 year period to develop the plan I wanted, so I stopped working with Federer”.
When asked why he made that choice, Higueras explained: “Up to that point, I love tennis, ha. I thought that in that role I could impact a lot more people, especially kids and coaches, and that’s why I did it. That lasted about 6–7 years, which is when a whole new generation of players came through. Two years ago I finished with them”.
His years with the USTA
When Patrick McEnroe took the reins at the USTA, he offered Jose Higueras a key role, even though Higueras was already working with the organization independently.
“When I was working with Federer in 2008, Patrick McEnroe called me and explained that he had been given the director position. He then offered me responsibility for the development program. At first, I said no. I knew perfectly well how the USTA works—I had been cooperating with them since 1989, but always independently,” Higueras said.
Patrick McEnroe and Jose Higueras speak at a press conference during day eight of the 2010 U.S. Open. (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
Higueras’ current focus
After stepping down from his USTA role, Higueras shared with Punto de Break what he is currently focused on and what he hopes for the future. “The only thing I would like to continue doing, as much as I can, is fighting to make tennis increasingly accessible to more people, especially children, creating more opportunities for those who dream of this sport,” he explained.
“At the peak of my program, we reached more than 45,000 kids. Tommy Paul, Frances Tiafoe, Taylor Fritz… they all came through the program at age 12. We would go to California, spot a kid who was playing well, contact their coach, and start working with them. This is the part of tennis I enjoy the most,” the Spanish coach concluded.
