Spotlight Ahead
Voices Propelling Landaluce & Cina to Stardom
Oscar Burrieza, the coach of Landaluce, shares insights into their dynamic partnership
November 25, 2025
Martin Landaluce
Celebrating the journey with coach Oscar Burrieza after claiming an ATP Challenger Tour title this season.
By Sam Jacot
In the world of tennis, a sport that often highlights solo journeys, it’s easy to overlook the foundational elements that contribute to a player’s identity long before they step onto the court. For Martin Landaluce, the ascent to the 2025 Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF has not merely revolved around refining his skills but also equipping himself with the right mentors who inspire, support, and keep him grounded.
One of these guiding forces is Oscar Burrieza, one of the two coaches by Landaluce’s side, the other being Esteban Carril.
The partnership between Landaluce and Burrieza began with a simple call. At just 14 years old, a young talent still undiscovered by leading coaches, Landaluce’s father reached out to Burrieza, who was busy training seasoned pros in Madrid.
“His dad reached out to discuss the possibility of me coaching Martin,” Burrieza recalled in a conversation with ATPTour.com last September. “He wasn’t sure if I would be interested in coaching a 14-year-old and asked if I knew about him.”
Curiosity piqued, Burrieza took the initiative, researched online, and reviewed some footage of Landaluce’s matches.
“The moment I saw him play, I was intrigued,” Burrieza expressed. “From our first meeting, we clicked. Even then, I could sense he was a genuine and mature young man. He was eager to learn and ready to put in the work. Collaborating with him quickly felt like a natural fit.”
This seamless start evolved into years filled with discipline, growth, and insight, forming a foundation for one of the most well-rounded young athletes on the tour.
In 2022, Landaluce won the US Open Boys’ singles title, followed by his inaugural ATP Challenger Tour title in 2024. By 2025, he secured another title at the Challenger level, reaching a career-high No. 110 in the PIF ATP Rankings by October.
Each step of his journey has been a blend of pride and purpose for Burrieza.
“As a coach, each achievement with your player fills you with pride,” Burrieza noted. “You feel thrilled not just for them but for the collective effort involved. Moments like Martin becoming World No. 1 in juniors and winning the US Open junior title were exceptionally rewarding. But, truthfully, not much really changes. We relish our training sessions just as much as the competition.”
What differentiates Landaluce goes beyond technical finesse or his understanding of the game. Burrieza identifies his mental equilibrium as his most exceptional asset.
“To me, his mental balance is one of his greatest strengths,” Burrieza elaborated. “Tennis can be mentally taxing, with most weeks ending in defeat. Yet, Martin possesses the unique ability to reboot emotionally and return to practice with fresh determination, whether he’s competing at a major event or a lower-tier match. That level of mental consistency is truly rare.”
This attribute is cultivated. Burrieza provides the space for Landaluce to navigate his independence and enjoy being 19. Their shared travels and training routines cultivate a rhythm in the everyday.
“We don’t have to be friends just because I’m his coach,” Burrieza emphasized. “I genuinely care about him as a person. I have deep affection for him and sincerely wish for his success.”
This bond of humanity is what enriches the player-coach connection.
This theme resonates with the emerging #NextGenATP talents. Italian Federico Cina experiences it profoundly, balancing his burgeoning career—featuring his inaugural tour-level win in Miami and three ATP Challenger Tour finals—with the guiding voice of his father and coach, Francesco Cina.
“The challenge is that he’s both my coach on the court and my dad off of it,” Cina reflected. “But my dad excels at compartmentalizing both roles. On the court, he energizes me like a coach, and off the court, he’s simply my dad. I appreciate this harmony; it’s refreshing, and I feel fortunate.”
Together, they analyze opponents and refine practices. Whenever pressure mounts, Francesco resets his son’s focus just as Burrieza does for Landaluce.
“My dad and coach constantly remind me to cherish practice,” Cina said. “Maintaining that enthusiasm is essential, and the results will naturally follow.”
As Burrieza aims to elevate Landaluce’s game at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF in Jeddah this year, Cina strives for continued growth with his father’s guidance, hoping to qualify for the 20-and-under event in 2026.
This marks the fifth installment of our Next Gen ATP series titled Spotlight Ahead. Explore our other features here:
Wimbledon dreams, Nishikori’s legacy & Vinci’s on-court wisdom: Next Gen stars reveal their memories
Next Steps: Tien, Basavareddy & Engel embark on their journeys
Learning from Legends: Nadal, Cilic & Ram inspiring the #NextGenATP stars
Fuel for Tomorrow: Delving into the mindset of the elite youngsters
