A little bit about my journey.

 

I was born in Moldova (Eastern Europe) and  started playing tennis at age 6. I grew up playing in an old school Soviet system where everything was state sponsored and my parents didn’t have to spend thousands on private lessons, equipment and tournaments. It only required for me to pass the series of fitness tests every 6 months. I went to school in the mornings and practiced usually 1.5 hours in the afternoons 5 times a week in the fall, winter and spring. 1 day a week I played soccer with my tennis peers in the small gym or outside if it wasn’t cold. The most improvements in my game I made in the summers because I trained twice a day and there was fitness after the second practice. At age 18, my family moved to the US after my mother won the green card lottery.  I went to Spokane Community college where I did not lose a set a whole season in 2001 and in 2002 I transferred to the University of Portland. There I was team’s MVP all 3 seasons. My college coach had been a great mentor and motivator and pushed me to improve 1% every day . After graduating in 2005 with a degree in Business/Finance, I turned pro and for 8 years I traveled around the world while competing in tennis futures and challengers. I competed at every level of pro tennis except Grand Slam main draw. My best tennis I played at the end of 2010 and most of 2011. After hitting a hot streak and winning two futures in a row at the end of 2010, I qualified for a tour event in San Jose in early 2011 and signed to play World Team Tennis later in the summer with the St Louis Aces. 2011 was my breakthrough year and I achieved my highest ranking of 200 ATP and got in the qualification draw of all Grand Slams except for the French Open.

Everything I achieved in my tennis career was due to hard work and willingness to constantly study the game. Traveling around the world and competing in the same tournaments with the future top 50 players in the world, I was able to pick up new knowledge and refine my own training to stay fit and constantly improve my technique, tactics and most importantly become mentally stronger .  I am very proud of my accomplishments given the circumstances and a shoestring budget I was always traveling on.  My last year on the tour I mainly focused on doubles and was able to reach top 182 ATP in a six month period. Since retirement I have been passionately pursuing a career in coaching in South Florida. I am very dedicated and enjoy working with like-minded students to help them reach their potential. I am centrally located in Pembroke Pines of Broward County, between Dade and Palm Beach County, near the towns of Weston, Sunrise, Davie, Cooper City, Plantation, Miramar, Hollywood and Miami Lakes

“Coaching Tennis is my passion and I will do everything I can to help my students on their journey of becoming a better Athlete, Player and Person.”