Mexican tennis couple coaches find sense of belonging in Jingshan, Hubei Province

With over 340 tennis courts scattered across the city, Jingshan leads the nation in per capita court availability among counties and county-level cities in the country. (Photo: Hubei Daily/Zhang Shiqiu)

Nestled in the heart of central China’s Hubei Province, Jingshan, a small city of 600,000 residents, boasts a resounding title - “hometown of tennis in China”.  With over 340 tennis courts scattered across the city, Jingshan leads the nation in per capita court availability among counties and county-level cities in the country. Tennis is more than a sport here, it’s a way of life rooted in the local culture and the very place where tennis star Zheng Qinwen’s tennis dream began.
Now, a foreign couple has moved to this land. Fabricio González, 34, from Mexico, brought his 15 years of international experience in youth training. His wife, Grecia González, 31, a respiratory therapist with a Harvard education background, has previously worked with numerous WTA players. Their encounter with Jingshan sparked an instant connection, creating a tennis partnership that clicked from the very start.

“Jingshan is the only county-level city selected as a key location for the Olympic tennis talent training project. Children here are energetic but need an international perspective,”explained Gao Bao, executive principal of the Hubei Provincial Tennis School. Under recommendation, the couple visited Jingshan in August this year. They were immediately captivated by the deep tennis culture in the city - from its international-standard courts to tennis-themed street arts, from the children training diligently under the scorching sun to the city’s efficient and pragmatic talent recruitment efforts.
Within just one week, their work visas and a talent apartment were all in place, and both of them were hired as coaches.
Fabricio integrated Spanish footwork drills with Mexican strength training methods, honing students’ endurance and rhythm on the clay courts. Grecia, meanwhile, introduced respiratory training, which is still rare in China, to precisely address young players’ physical conditioning gaps.
Twelve-year-old Chen Gaoen was thrilled with her rapid progress. In the classrooms of the tennis school, hand-drawn posters of Zheng Qinwen and blackboards filled with “I want to play in the Grand Slams” reinforced Fabricio’s belief - It is the place will surely produce the next tennis star.
In September, 2025 Jingshan Tennis Open, the first WTA125/ATP100 professional tournament hosted by a county-level city in China, kicked off. 86 students from the tennis school served as ball kids, gaining firsthand experience of professional competition.
“This is the best ‘championship primer’,” the couple praised.
Visiting local markets, cooking Mexican food, and learning Chinese have now become part of their daily routine. “We originally planned to try for six months, but now we are willing to stay much longer,” Fabricio shared. “What makes Jingshan special is the blend of professionalism and warmth,” Grecia added emotionally, “In the determined eyes of these children, we’ve found a sense of belonging. The city is already home for us.” (en.hubei.gov.cn by Ruan Xinqi)

Source:  en.hubei.gov.cn