In a sport often defined by individual brilliance, one British coach is building something far greater: the global infrastructure for the champions of tomorrow.
As Head of International Tennis Camps at the world-renowned Rafa Nadal Academy (RNA) by Movistar, Craig Walker is quietly leading a transformation in global player development. Since joining the Mallorca-based academy in 2019, he has worked to elevate and extend the Academy’s international camps presence, delivering high-quality, values-driven tennis programs that reflect the Rafa Nadal Academy’s elite methodology to over 10,000 players across five continents.
With deep gratitude for the trust placed in him, Craig acknowledges the rare privilege and responsibility of contributing to such a world-class institution. For him, the opportunity to carry forward the values, legacy, and vision of Rafael Nadal & RNA on a global scale is as humbling as it is inspiring.
Across the world in top tennis environments, Walker’s influence extends far beyond the baseline, shaping the future of tennis in diverse international settings. Every international tennis camp aims to faithfully embody the very principles and core values that define RNA — humility, discipline, hard work, and excellence — the pillars of Rafael Nadal’s iconic tennis legacy.
Craig’s coaching journey was shaped at The All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC), Wimbledon — the globally revered stage of The Championships and one of the sport’s most prestigious institutions — through multiple years at the Wimbledon Junior Tennis Initiative (WJTI). He gleaned experience at the Catalan Tennis Federation in Barcelona, and later rose through the UK’s national performance ranks at Dukes Meadows, contributing to elite junior development and directing LTA Advanced Apprenticeships in Sporting Excellence (AASE) before serving as Nike Tennis UK Director, where he was responsible for curriculum development and coaching teams across multiple venues.
A coach, leader, and strategist, Walker represents a new generation of global tennis performance consultants, blending technical mastery with business intelligence to globalise greatness, one player at a time. His approach isn’t just focused on results, but on delivering a replicable, values-driven system that empowers growth from grassroots to pro.
Walker holds the prestigious LTA Level 5 Master Performance Coach Award, and Accredited+ License — one of only 151 coaches in the UK — alongside qualifications in strength & conditioning (UK Strength & Conditioning Association – UKSCA), biomechanics (Anatomy in Motion – AiM), and sports therapy. His early commercial experience at L’Oréal in both Paris — luxury international marketing development — and London — consumer operational sales & marketing — combined with sponsorship activations at Wimbledon, adds commercial acumen to his performance credentials.
Personally invited by Toni Nadal, Craig has served as a dedicated member of RNA coaching teams across the ITF Junior (male and female), ATP, and WTA levels, contributing to the foundational development of some of the sport’s most exciting rising stars at the Rafa Nadal Academy:
Daniel Rincón (Spain) Arrived at RNA in 2018
- US Open Junior Singles Champion
- Junior Wimbledon Doubles Finalist
- Winner of 6 ITF Singles Titles and 9 Doubles Titles
- Junior Davis Cup and Orange Bowl Champion (singles and doubles)
- Current ATP Ranking: No. 290
- Highest ATP Ranking: No. 181 (April 12, 2023)
Alex Eala (Philippines) Arrived at RNA in 2018
- US Open Junior Singles Champion (2022) — first Filipina to win a Grand Slam singles title
- Junior Doubles Champion at the Australian Open and Roland Garros
- Former World Junior No. 2 and Les Petits As Champion
- Reached the Miami Open 2025 semifinals, defeating two Top 10 players and Iga Świątek
- WTA Eastbourne Finalist (2025) and Wimbledon Centre Court debutant
- Current WTA Ranking: No. 68
- Highest WTA Ranking: No. 56 (June 30, 2025)
Abdullah Shelbayh (Jordan) Arrived at RNA in 2018
- First Jordanian to win a Challenger title and Grand Slam match
- Competitor at 2023 Next Gen ATP Finals
- Winner of 1 Challenger & 3 Futures Singles Titles and 4 ITF Doubles Titles
- Current ATP Ranking: No. 353
- Highest ATP Ranking: No. 181 (January 29, 2024)
Passionate about all things performance and what it takes to create a champion, Walker believes success isn’t just about trophies or titles — it’s about unlocking personal power, enabling purpose, and nurturing the inner qualities that sustain excellence. His philosophy centres on long-term athlete development, where scientific rigour meets emotional intelligence, and where identity, resilience, and intentional growth matter just as much as physical ability.
“The real goal,” he explains, “isn’t just to win — it’s to create athletes who can consistently win at tennis and in life, with character, resilience, and purpose.”
Off the court, Craig co-authored Enabling Genius – A mindset for success in the 21st Century, is a Masterclass Speaker on international sports management at the UAX Rafa Nadal School of Sport (UAX RNSS), and holds a BA(Hons) in Management with French from the University of Nottingham, plus postgraduate expertise in Advanced Management and Sports Business from UAX RNSS.
While many purely pursue top tennis results, Craig Walker is focused on something deeper in building coherent systems that deliver high-quality performance, guided by the core values of Rafa Nadal himself.
From Wimbledon’s grassroots to RNA’s global reach, his work reflects a commitment to excellence, inspirational impact, and player development that is built to last.
In every camp, in every country, the mission stays the same: To shape not just impressively successful tennis players, but brilliantly empowered people, inspired through identity, purpose, and the Champion Code that turns potential into greatness.
RNA Players – Global Achievements from the Rafa Nadal Academy
The Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar has become a global hub for tennis excellence, producing champions across junior and professional circuits. Its alumni have captured multiple Junior Grand Slam titles, including Dani Rincón (US Open 2021, career-high ATP No. 181), Alex Eala (US Open 2022 singles; Australian Open & Roland Garros doubles), Alina Korneeva (Australian Open & Roland Garros), and Coleman Wong (US Open & Australian Open doubles). These victories are complemented by a steady flow of international and national tournament successes.
On the ATP Tour, Casper Ruud is a flagship success story. Arriving in Manacor ranked No. 143, he surged to a career-high No. 2, reached three Grand Slam finals, won 13 ATP titles — including the Mutua Madrid Open — and twice lifted the Laver Cup with Team Europe. Jaume Munar, who joined RNA in 2017, achieved a career-high ATP No. 50, secured nine Challenger singles titles, and earned wins over Top 10 opponents.
Alex Eala, the first Filipina Grand Slam singles champion, has broken new ground for Philippine tennis. Currently WTA No. 68, she reached the 2025 Miami Open semifinals with victories over Jelena Ostapenko and Madison Keys before defeating Iga Świątek. She went on to reach her first WTA final in Eastbourne, narrowly missing the title, and debuted on Wimbledon’s Centre Court.
Other rising professionals include Abdullah Shelbayh (career-high ATP No. 188; first Jordanian Grand Slam match-winner), Martin Landaluce (US Open Junior Champion, career-high ATP No. 133), and Alina Korneeva (career-high WTA No. 128).
Promising juniors continue to emerge, such as Coleman Wong (Junior Grand Slam doubles champion, Davis Cup for Hong Kong), Naoya Honda (Orange Bowl U16 champion), Daniel Vallejo (world junior No. 1), Ivan Ivanov (Orange Bowl U14 champion, Wimbledon Junior Champion), and Yaroslav Demin (world junior No. 1, ITF pro titleholder).
From the Rafa Nadal Academy in Manacor to the world stage, RNA players are proving themselves as champions on the rise in global professional tennis.
RNA Facilities
The Rafa Nadal Academy boasts an impressive array of facilities, including 45 tennis courts — 23 hard courts (19 outdoor and 4 indoor) and 22 clay courts (15 outdoor and 7 semi-covered) — as well as 16 padel courts, comprising 7 indoor courts, 6 outdoor courts, and 3 panoramic courts. The complex also offers a supervised residence, a fully equipped fitness center, and both indoor and outdoor 25-meter swimming pools.
Additional amenities include a seven-a-side football field, a Sports Clinic by Quirónsalud, a restaurant with a dedicated players’ room, and spaces for beach volleyball, squash, padbol, and various multisports activities. More information can be found on the website.
