Behind the Camera: Mauricio Fernandez's Mission to Tell Tennis' Untold Stories

Originally from Cuba, Fernandez has built a unique career that blends coaching, storytelling and content creation, all with one goal in mind: giving a voice to the players, coaches and communities that often go unnoticed.

Now a contributing videographer for Florida Tennis and the creator of Early Breaks, Fernandez has become one of South Florida's rising tennis storytellers, producing high-quality videos that highlight the people behind the sport.

"I was born in Cuba and started playing tennis when I was seven," Fernandez said. "When I was 13, we moved to Ecuador, where I kept playing with a lot of difficulties. But the dream of playing college tennis in the United States kept me going."

That dream eventually became reality.

Following his father's advice, Fernandez and his family moved to Miami, where he attended St. Thomas University on a tennis scholarship while studying Communications.

"My dad always told me the safest and most efficient path was to earn a scholarship in the U.S. and get my education paid for," he explained. "Coming here as a family made the transition much easier."

Although balancing college tennis and academics left little time for extracurricular activities, his degree would later become the foundation for another passion.

"I studied Communications because I've always been interested in how marketing works and how the sports industry tells stories. Everything is connected."

That passion eventually led to the creation of Early Breaks, a media platform dedicated to showcasing the side of tennis that rarely receives attention.

"The idea actually started while I was playing college tennis," Fernandez said. "I realized there was barely any coverage of junior tennis or college tennis unless you played for one of the biggest universities. My teammates, our opponents... everyone was putting in so much work, and nobody was really telling those stories."

After becoming a full-time coach, that realization only grew stronger.

"I was surrounded by incredible players and coaches every day. That's when I decided I wanted to create something that would showcase the people who make tennis special, especially here in Miami."

Rather than focusing on professional stars, Fernandez has built his platform around the people behind the scenes.

"My mission isn't to tell the stories everyone is already telling," he said. "I want to show the personal side behind the players and coaches. I care about the unseen stories."

He believes many of the most inspiring journeys happen far away from television cameras.

"Especially here in the United States, almost everyone has a story about how difficult it was to get here, how they sacrificed and how they built a life through tennis. Those are the stories I want people to know."

Outside of content creation, Fernandez continues to work full-time as a coach at Coral Oaks Tennis Club in Pinecrest, where he has spent the last six years developing players while continuing to improve his filmmaking skills.

"I'm coaching six to eight hours a day," he said. "It definitely makes it harder to keep learning editing, filming and everything that comes with creating content, but at the same time, it gives me amazing stories to tell because I'm living tennis every day."

Working with Florida Tennis has also allowed him to expand beyond the Miami area.

"Thanks to you guys, I've been able to reach the entire Florida tennis community. That's been huge for me."

While Early Breaks began as a storytelling platform, Fernandez now has even bigger plans.

"I'm trying to evolve it into something more than content," he said. "I want to create experiences that bring people together."

Those experiences combine two of his biggest passions: tennis and travel.

"We're trying to connect the community we've built over the years by creating unique tennis experiences in Miami and eventually around the world."

One of the first projects is expected to take place later this year through a partnership with Elite Tennis Travel.

"We're planning an event in Miami where people from different parts of the U.S. and even other countries can come together, enjoy the city and connect through tennis."

Looking ahead to 2027, Fernandez is especially excited about a small-group tennis experience in Umbria, Italy.

"It's a curated experience in one of the most beautiful regions of Italy," he said. "We're hoping to bring our community there and continue growing from there."

For Fernandez, however, success isn't measured by views or followers. It's measured by the people whose stories get told.

"I fully support what Florida Tennis is building," he said. "Being part of this community is incredible validation for me. I hope we continue to grow together, and I'll always be here to help however I can."

As his camera continues traveling from local courts to international destinations, one thing is becoming increasingly clear: Mauricio Fernandez isn't simply documenting tennis. He's helping preserve the stories that make the sport truly special.

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Written by Associate Editor Osvaldo Godoy. Video shot by Alex Binstok. Video edited by Nathalia Suarez.