Acing a Tennis Career

Teza Simunyola is a coach who focuses on developing all aspects of a player, both physical and mental. When he transitioned from playing professionally, he found purpose in not only coaching his players, but also in being a mentor.

When Kelsey Shea graduated from college after playing Division I tennis at Colgate, she knew she wanted to transition her passion into a career. She is now the tennis manager at Armonk Tennis Club. College students, take notes!

"Tennis opened my mouth and forced humility down my throat." Marvin Dent dedicated his life to tennis after he discovered his love for the sport. He is now a high performance coach in the greater NYC area.

Nick Zieziula loved sports growing up and found his niche in tennis, reaching 15th in the Eastern section his senior year. Like many of us, Nick caught the tennis bug and has been coaching and organizing ever since. He is now the head coach of the Binghamton University Men's tennis team, and he coordinates an adaptive tennis program called Createable The Magic Paintbrush Project. Learn more about Nick: https://bubearcats.com/sports/mens-tennis/roster/coaches/nick-zieziula/397 Learn more about Createable The Magic Paintbrush Project: https://www.facebook.com/MagicPaintbrushProject/

Phyllis Orlowski lives to share the sport of tennis! As a teacher in Oneonta, NY she revitalized the defunded tennis program in her town with a little determination and some help from Net Generation! netgeneration.com

Mike Smookler has been coaching tennis since 1989 and currently serves as the USPTA Eastern's Vice President and tennis director at the West Orange Tennis Club. https://westorangetennisclub.com/

Anda Perianu gew up playing tennis under the Romanian sun during her summers growing up. Her tennis journey took her to great heights playing college tennis, and then professionally. She now manages Reis Tennis Center in Ithaca, NY. Hear her journey and why she thinks that if you can't get tennis out of your head, then you should pursue a career in the industry. Learn more at https://reistenniscenter.com/

Liezel Huber left South Africa at 15 "with a suitcase and a dream" to pursue a career in tennis. After years of collecting doubles titles, she's now the executive director of tennis at the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis and Learning. Learn more about Cary Leeds: https://www.nyjtl.org/caryleeds/

Art Carrington has been a renowned tennis coach for decades, and his son Lex has followed in his footsteps in high-caliber coaching as well. This interview with both Art and Lex Carrington touches on so many aspects of their careers in tennis, with a focus on what it will take to grow tennis in the Black community. Learn more about Art and Lex Carrington: https://carringtontennis.wordpress.com/

Amber Marino, the president of USTA Eastern's board of directors, merged her love of reaching kids through education with tennis. As Executive Director of 15love, she oversees tennis programs for underserved communities that go beyond delivering tennis. Learn more about them at 15love.org

If you need a dose of positivity in your day, check out our interview with Luke Jensen, former pro and full-time tennis enthusiast. Hear from his perspective what kinds of opportunities are available in the tennis industry. Watch the interview at USTA Eastern's Facebook page.

Gigi Fernandez and her doubles partner Natasha Zvereva won 14 grand slams over the course of 5 years. Hear exactly what she attributes that level of success to in our latest edition of Acing a Tennis Career. Watch the interview at USTA Eastern's Facebook page.

When Cesar Andrade immigrated to the US, he fell in love with tennis. Today he is a citizen and director of operations at his own tennis academy. His career has been shaped by his passion for tennis as he worked his way up through the industry. Thanks for sharing your journey with us, Cesar! Watch the interview at USTA Eastern's Facebook page.

"We want to make tennis look like America. That's what we say, that's not always what we've done. So really, that's the focus going forward." Patrick Galbraith, Chairman of the Board and President of the United States Tennis Association sat down with us to discuss his career, the USTA's future, and recently announced plans about the US Open. We are so appreciative he took the time to speak with us in the midst of such a busy time for our organization! Watch the interview at USTA Eastern's Facebook page.

Katrina Adams broke barriers in many positions she has held throughout her tennis career. We thank her for taking some time to sit down with us to share her thoughts on the current state of our country, and reflect on her pioneering role in tennis history. Watch the interview at USTA Eastern's Facebook page.

When he was in eighth grade, Bob Bynum hated tennis. But once he tried it, he fell in love with the sport. Now a renowned and beloved coach, Bob wants everyone to know how rewarding a career as a tennis coach can be! Watch the interview at USTA Eastern's Facebook page.

Neha Uberoi struggled to find her path when she realized it was time to retire from her career as a pro tennis player - and forge a new identity. Hear her journey from struggling with an eating disorder to reclaiming her mental health and establishing South Asians in Sports in this week's Acing a Tennis Career. Watch the interview at USTA Eastern's Facebook page.

Peter Lebedevs has worn many hats throughout his tennis career, but his most recent role is serving as the tournament director of the New York Open. Watch the interview at USTA Eastern's Facebook page.

Hear Joseph Binder's experience studying professional tennis management at Methodist University and working in several roles in the tennis industry. Watch the interview at USTA Eastern's Facebook page.