Argentine coach Facundo Lugones, who coaches British tennis player Cameron Norrie, has been elected Coach of the Year 2021 at the ATP Awards after the great season made by Norrie this year on the circuit. Lugones happens in the prize winners of the Spanish Fernando Vicente, who achieved it in 2020 after the great season of his pupil Andrey Rublev.
Among the main achievements of Cameron Norrie this season highlights the conquest of his first two ATP titles: in Los Cabos and, above all, the Masters 1,000 in Indian Wells. Two titles that, together with his great streak in 2021 of 52 wins by 25 losses, have allowed him to rise to twelfth position in the ATP ranking, his highest ranking to date.
In this way, the long relationship between coach and tennis player that Lugones and Norrie have maintained and that was forged at Texas Christian University is also rewarded. “I was studying economics and I wanted to work in finance, in a bank or something similar. Since I spent a year of my degree without playing, I started helping the team as a volunteer coach and I enjoyed it, and then I started working in a tennis club while helping the university team. The coaches who were there encouraged me to try it and since then I continued to enjoy it and want to improve. I thought I could make a career out of it and then Cam offered to ride with him, so he and the coaches saw something in me and thought I could do it right, “Lugones said.
In statements collected by the ATP, Lugones himself was very satisfied to be awarded the award. “I am incredibly happy. I never thought I would win this award, it is unreal. But this is the beauty of sport and anything can happen. I also want to give the Thanks to my team of Julián Romero and Vasek Jursik, they have worked incredibly to get Cam prepared, and also to Devin Bowen and James Trotman, who have supported us since day one. And most importantly, I want to thank Cameron for being an animal and winning all those games that have allowed me to achieve the award. I also want to thank everyone who has voted for me and all the coaches who have given me advice or taught me something. I can’t thank you enough and I’m really looking forward to next year. “