Pro Staff

Dale is the Director of Tennis Operations at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center as of late 2022. He holds certifications as a USPTA Elite Professional, PTR Professional, Academia De Sanchez-Casal, and IPTPA. After playing collegiate tennis at Jackson State University (MS), he spent an extensive amount of time developing players of national junior and adult prominence. His experience includes the foundational development of a Les Petites Champion, numerous National Teams representing Northern California, and most recently the 2022 USTA Battle of the Sections Boys 18s National Champions (USTA Northern California). 

He has led many high-performing teams throughout the tennis industry. Since 2002, he has a vast amount of experience in USTA and USPTA leadership roles. To note a few, he served 4 terms (8 years) as a USTA Northern California Board Member, over 10 years as a USPTA Northern California Board Member including two as President, and served as a committee chair or member of numerous tennis industry sectional and national leadership bodies. Additional roles include the production of over 900 events garnering over $3 million in event revenue, speaking at multiple sectional and USPTA World Conferences, and multiple national awards. 

He holds a B.S. in Management and M.S. in Sports Management. He enjoys making any and everything competitive.. 

Originally from Macon, Georgia, Rod grew up playing tennis throughout the South. After competing as a top player in Georgia, he attended Georgia Military College on a full tennis scholarship. His experience includes working at both the New Canaan Field Club and the Doral Golf Resort in Miami, Florida. 

Rod has over 25 years of teaching experience and has been teaching at the National Tennis Center for over 15 years. Throughout his tenure here at the National Tennis Center, Rod is widely known for his engaging and dynamic delivery style where he has taught all levels of adult and junior classes. 

He is an RSPA Elite Professional, PTR Level 2 certified and holds additional certifications in Cardio Tennis and Tournament Directing, where he has been a member of the NTC Tournament Committee since 2023.

His managerial training includes the USTA 2024 Emerging Leadership Cohort and PTR Management programs.

Lindsay holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communications with triple minors in Graphic Design, Digital Media/Video Production, and Social Media Marketing. With over a decade of coaching experience, she has trained at top tournament programs in Westchester County in New York and achieved high USTA rankings in the 12s through 18s divisions. This earned her a full scholarship to NCAA Division II Women's Tennis and was awarded All Conference First Team in doubles and went 42-5 in NE-10 League in singles.

She holds a professional teaching certification with RSPA and is a USTA Eastern Certified Tournament Director. Her professional tennis career includes more than 10 years of teaching experience, specializing in junior development for 10 & Under programs and High Performance training. She has extensive experience running USTA-sanctioned tournaments, organizing league play, and developing successful programs at both the recreational and competitive levels.

In addition to on-court leadership, Lindsay also brings strong administrative experience, including tennis operations and events management which have contributed to community-oriented club environments. 

In her spare time, she enjoys painting, video production, and Hawaii amongst other interests

Leo Correa has been our High Performance Specialist since 2017. With an extensive career in both tennis and beach tennis, he was a nationally ranked junior before moving to NY to study Business and play for St. John’s University. There he helped the team to win the Big East Conference Title. After earning his degree, he moved to France to play club tennis and ITF Futures for six months. He possesses ITF, PTR, USPTA and Emilio Sanchez Certifications.

As a tour coach, he experienced traveling with ITF junior players to Europe and Africa and helped several of them achieve athletic scholarships in various Colleges. He also served as a hitting partner for both Max Mirnyi and Fernando Verdasco during the 2007 US Open Tennis Championships. Leo speaks Portuguese and Spanish and is originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. 

Justyna is our Orange Ball Specialist and has been working at the USTA BJK National Tennis Center since 2012. She received a Master's Degree in Education from St. John's University and served as the Graduate Assistant Coach of their Division I Women's Tennis Team. She studied Education and Journalism at Silesian University in Poland and received her Master's in Polish Philosophy. Justyna was an Elementary and High School teacher for a couple of years and also began her career as a Teaching Pro in her hometown. 

Justyna was ranked as one of the top junior players in Poland and is certified in High-Performance Training, Cardio, and Fitness. She is a PTR, USPTA, and GPTCA Certified Elite Professional and enjoys teaching 10 and under tennis, as well as juniors and adults of all abilities. Justyna is originally from Katowice, Poland and in her spare time, she skis, travels, reads books as well as enjoys art and culture.  

Nouri El-Hajjar is our Red Ball Specialist and has been working at the USTA BJK National Tennis Center since 2006. He is a USPTA and PTR Certified Professional as well as a USTA Net Generation Coach.  Before joining the USTA, he coached at the Haworth Country Club in New Jersey and the Martha’s Vineyard Youth Tennis in Massachusetts. While coaching all ages, Nouri is recognized for his innovative technique in youth development.  His Red Ball program was voted the best Tennis Program in the World by Tennis Whizz in January 2014 and has been highlighted in the New York Metro Parent Magazine.  Nouri’s structured goal-oriented classes provide for the accelerated results in an enjoyable environment, where drills are individually tailored to each student’s ability.  Additionally, Nouri creates Play Days so that our young players can start playing matches at an early age.

To promote passion for the game, Nouri regularly participates in the community outreach programs of the USTA foundation.  He truly enjoys contributing to the Arthur Ashe Kids Day, AMEX Fan Zone, and the Queens Day during the U.S. Open; inspiring thousands of children to play and to develop a love of the game. When not teaching, Nouri is passionate about strengthening his industry knowledge by attending workshops and training sessions with top Coaches and bringing that information back to the court.  Nouri is originally from Casablanca, Morocco.   

John has been a Tennis Professional at the USTA BJK National Tennis Center since 2021. He learned the game under Arthur Carrington on his way to becoming a USPTA Elite Tennis Professional and has also been a student of Althea Gibson. During his more than twenty-five-year career in tennis, John has been an NCAA Division I coach, and has worked with several ATP and WTA players. As a player, he is a former NCAA member of the Hampton University Men’s Tennis Team. John is a native of Teaneck, New Jersey, where he was a Varsity Tennis Team captain in high school.

Steven has been a Tennis Professional at the USTA BJK National Tennis Center since 2019. He started playing tennis at the age of five. Born and raised in Lagrangeville, NY, Steven moved to the Bronx the summer before his freshman year of high school and started teaching tennis at his neighborhood park. Steven has both sectional and national tournament experience, along with an NCAA career where he won his opening matches before Covid. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science with a specialization in Exercise and Movement from Lehman College.

Steven holds certifications from the USPTA (Elite Professional), PTR, GPTCA, ITPA and Fit-U. His coaching philosophy emphasizes technical development, physical conditioning, and fostering a passion for the sport. Outside of tennis, Steven enjoys spending time with his dog, Rocky.

Danny has been a Tennis Professional at the USTA BJK National Tennis Center since 2023. He started playing tennis at the age of twelve and trained under the late Claude England and would go on to play competitively in the Mid-Atlantic region. Danny is a PTR Professional and brings experience teaching from Junior Tennis Champion Center (JTCC) and Columbia Association in Maryland. Danny was originally born in Seoul, South Korea, and moved to Maryland at the age of eight. He is a graduate of Binghamton University, with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and International Affairs. In his spare time, Danny likes cooking, trying out new restaurants, and going to museums.

David is a Tennis Professional at the USTA BJK National Tennis Center since 2022. David was born in Bogota, Colombia and at the age of 12 he moved to Naples, Florida where he grew up playing tennis. David played all four years in the Varsity team for his High School. For college, he attended Full Sail University and got a Degree in Computer Animation. David's coaching career began after graduating College in 2015, and his experience includes working for PBI at the Ritz Carlton in Naples, being a High School Coach and working other various clubs. David seeks to provide top-quality knowledge to his students and inspire them to be the best they can be while also having fun, he believes that a good coach is someone that sees beyond your limits and guides you to greatness. On his spare time, David likes to eat at new restaurants, watch anime, edit videos and hang out/hit with friends. 

Ziryab is a Tennis Professional at the USTA BJK National Tennis Center since 2024. Ziryab has been both a Sudan national team player and head coach. He started playing tennis at the age of 4, and his first appearance with his country’s flag was back in 2005 in the 13 and under East African championship. He went on to represent all of Sudan’s junior teams categories, including the first team, and later became the head coach of the National team. He is a certified ITF level 1 and level 2 coach, and holds a bachelor degree with honors in economics and international relations from the University of Khartoum.

Farhad was born in Tehran, Iran, and graduated from the USTA High Performance Coaching Program. He is a USPTA Tennis Fitness Specialist, and a USTA/USPTA Coach Developer. He has trained over 500 NYJTL Community Coaches and mentors aspiring Certified Pros. With 20 years of coaching experience, Farhad has developed many top players including Cash Hanzlik, who reached #2 in the U.S. U18s and competed in the US Open and Australian Open Juniors under Farhad's coaching. He has served as an NCAA collegiate coach at Portland State University and Pratt Institute, and has coached USTA National, Zonal, and Intersectional teams.

As a player, Farhad was ranked # 1 in most of his junior career is his native country Iran, and as high as # 6 in the Men’s Open. He also achieved a world ranking of #149 in the ITF 35s after defeating the world #6 in a Grade 1 tournament. Farhad studied Biomedical Engineering in Germany and is fluent in English, German, and Farsi. 

Robert has been a Tennis Professional at the USTA BJK National Tennis Center since 2021. A native of Shreveport, Louisiana, he started playing and competing in tennis at the age of nine.  Robert is a retired professional educator having served 23 years as a high school teacher and tennis coach.  He has been coaching tennis for 25 years and has been a member of the USPTA for 18 years.  Robert has developed players from foam ball all the way through Division I College.  On the club level for adults, he has successfully coached USTA teams to local, State, and Sectional titles. “Having fun and giving the best lesson possible while making the learning process enjoyable is always the goal. I get thrilled about teaching the game of tennis for all ages and levels of play”. In his spare time, Robert enjoys traveling with his wife Zhana, cooking, and playing tennis with friends.

Gustavo “Gus” Alcayaga is a Tennis Professional at the USTA BJK National Tennis Center since 2021. He was born in San Juan, Argentina and later raised in Freeport, New York. As a junior, Gus was coached by Daniel Burgess and then professionally by Carlos “Picha” Lando who introduced him to Alberto Mancini and Gabriel Markus as a sparring partner. Gus continued his tennis career as Director of Player Development with the New York Junior Tennis League (NYJTL). He received the USTA/Eastern Club Service Award and the Member Organization of the Year Award as Director of Tennis at Bronx International. Gus served on the USTA/Eastern Junior Competition Committee as well as the USTA/Eastern/Metro Board and was the USTA/Eastern Junior Team Tennis Coordinator. He has coached both juniors and adults through all levels of the game and was fortunate enough to win the USTA National Championships in both categories as a Coach. He also was Junior Program Director, Tournament Training Director at The West Side Tennis Club and New York Tennis at Great Neck, respectively.

Anders has been a Tennis Professional at the USTA BJK National Tennis Center since 2018. As a native Swede, Anders has had tennis as his passion since the days of Bjorn Borg. Playing national tournaments as a junior, he soon expanded into teaching, umpiring, and stringing. Anders moved to NY in the mid-90s and worked for the Swedish-American Chamber of Commerce after graduating with a degree in Economics from the University of Vaxjo, in Sweden. Anders is USPTA and PTR Certified as well as a Master Racquet Technician (MRT) with the USRSA. 

Tennis has always been a central passion for me. My journey with tennis began at 13 in the Dominican Republic. Notable playing achievements include an 80% high school winning record at 1st singles and captaining the Varsity team throughout high school while reaching state conferences. I have continued to compete in USTA events since 2016. 

As a coach, I have held roles at the Parsippany Knoll Club and USA Sports Group since 2020, teaching players of all levels. In these on-court roles, I have honed my skills across various levels, from Tiny Tennis to Adults. 

In 2022, I became a lead coach in the region of Essex County, NJ, guiding players from Tiny Tennis to Yellow levels and training new coaches. My coaching style is characterized by creativity, with a touch of Spanish flair, I love teaching Tiny Tennis and Red Ball programs. 

I thrive on hard courts, holding USPTA and CPR certifications alongside pursuing my HR degree. My dedication to tennis and coaching continues to evolve, enriching the experiences of players at every level.

Osas has been a Tennis Professional at the USTA BJK National Tennis Center since 2023. He began playing at age ten, competed during his junior years and received a tennis scholarship while attending Texas Southern University in his hometown of Houston. Osas is a USPTA Tennis Professional and serves as a USTA JTT Coach having led teams to regional and sectional championships. Before moving to New York He served under the tutelage of former professional tennis player Sammy Giammalva Jr. His experience also includes working at the John McEnroe Tennis Academy amongst other sports clubs. Osas puts a big emphasis on discipline and focus as key qualities for successful tennis players. In his spare time he enjoys eating, music and TV Shows. Osas studied Bachelor of Science in Electronics Engr. Technology.

Omer is a former standout collegiate tennis player at Hunter College in New York City. Omer brings over seven years of coaching experience, consistently developing players’ skills and fostering a love for the game. He specializes in high-performance juniors and has successfully guided numerous young athletes, including many from Poly Prep to state-level rankings. Omer successfully led a high-impact summer tennis program as a Director, serving over 300 children daily, he managed a team of 5 coaches and designed engaging, results-driven training sessions to support player development and enjoyment of the game.

Omer has extensive experience coaching adult players of all levels, from beginners to advanced competitors, offering personalized instruction that builds both skill and confidence. Passionate about excellence and sportsmanship, Omer is dedicated to helping each athlete reach their full potential—on and off the court.

Zack began playing tennis at age 6 and was a nationally ranked junior until he earned a tennis scholarship to Xavier University of Louisiana, where he was a prominent member of the collegiate tennis team. During his time there, the team won three consecutive Red River conference championships and competed in national tournaments.

He taught with Youth Tennis Advantage, working with under-resourced communities throughout the Bay Area, and later completed a coaching development program at the USTA National Campus to further develop his skills and knowledge of athlete-centered coaching and earn his level 2 PTR coaching certification. He has coached nationally ranked players, been a hitting partner for ITF juniors, and worked USTA tournaments. In his spare time, he enjoys theater films and musical performances.

Jinny Welch has been a Tennis Professional at the USTA BJK National Tennis Center since 2023. She grew up near Rochester, NY, and began playing tennis when she was 14. She is a former NCAA Division I player who earned a scholarship to play at Cleveland State University but later transferred to Temple University, where she earned her BA Cum Laude in Management Information Systems. Jinny teaches ROG, teens, and adults of various levels at NTC. She brings a positive and fun energy to her teachings and tries to find the best way to connect with her students. In her spare time, she enjoys her time with her family, traveling, camping, as well as playing tennis and pickleball with friends.

Peter Wang is a Tennis Professional at the USTA BJK National Tennis Center since 2022. Originally from Hong Kong, he was an I.T. Manager in financial systems and has always been a tennis enthusiast. Peter is a certified USPTA and PTR level 1 tennis coach who strives to help people of all ages get into tennis. He believes that success in coaching comes from bringing fun to people in the games of tennis, and motivating them to play tennis for life; because of this, the daily teaching has become unique and interesting. In his spare time, Peter likes to go cycling, bowling and golfing with friends. 

Orlando is originally from Hohenau, Paraguay. He started his tennis journey at the Rolando Franco Academy and competed in several ITF tournaments until the age of 18, gaining valuable experience on the junior circuit.

Orlando moved to New Jersey in 2019 and has been coaching tennis professionally since 2021. In 2025, I earned my USPTA certification.

In addition to tennis, Orlando enjoys making music and is passionate about the Brooklyn Nets.

Viola has been an Assistant Tennis Professional at the USTA BJK National Tennis Center since 2023. She is originally from Kosovo, Albania, and grew up playing mostly at the NY City Tennis Club, where she not only trained but also assisted with junior programs. She participated in USTA Eastern tournaments growing up and she is currently a collegiate player at Lehman College. There, she plays #1 in both singles and doubles and is studying Business Administration, and graduating in June 2025. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with friends and playing tennis.

Valeria has been sharing her passion for tennis with children at the NTC since 2016. The sport has been a big part of her life since she first joined her high school tennis team as a freshman, eventually rising through the ranks to be named Team Captain. Valeria believes in striking the right balance between serious moments and fun, to ensure that kids in her classes not only enjoy themselves but are able to benefit from tennis as much as she has.