Introducing marcelo

Marcelo Gomes here. I've been a tennis coach for more than 20 years. Many of you may know me from the Hall of Fame Tennis Club at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island. I enjoyed meeting and working with many of you during my 7 years there.

I'm excited to start this next chapter of my professional journey, continuing the great work I started. I love living in Rhode Island and starting a life here with my family (my wife Stephanie and my daughter, Gabriela). We live in Portsmouth with our dog Penny. I am truly living my dream now as I start working as an independent tennis coach in Newport, Middletown, Portsmouth and surrounding areas to Providence and the south coast of Massachusetts.

Early Years

I grew up in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and moved to the states to start high school in Orlando, FL. If you didn't know, Orlando has always been an affluent tennis community and is now home to the USTA. I played for my local high school team and went on to play as a scholarship athlete and University of North Alabama in Florence, AL with a group of diverse and talented international players. Over these important years as a young player, I learned a lot about my game, myself, my determination and drive to be both a better tennis player and better human. These experiences have given me great perspective to coach today's juniors in both game play and mental toughness.

Professional Life

I started my career working in the Orlando, FL area, learning from many tennis professionals like...I was able to start several successful programs at local private schools. Eventually an opportunity to relocate and work alongside former high school and college competitors arose and I jumped at the chance to make a name for myself in Atlanta, GA at Sandy Springs Tennis Center. I worked there leading teams that would become champions in the city, developing juniors who would continue on to collegiate tennis at various programs in the country, and started and grew programs to max capacity in a short time.

Tennis in Newport

I love this story - as it starts with my personal connection to the International Tennis Hall of Fame and my wife. I was able to visit Newport for the very first time with my then-girlfriend, now-wife. I had a hit with a former pro at the ITHoF and we hit it off. Later that very day, I would propose to my wife and the rest is history. 5 months later, I'm working at the Hall of Fame and living in the beautiful state of Rhode Island. I had many successes during my tenure at the club from meeting many life-long friends, launching the NJTL program and developing juniors and adults alike while growing the love for the sport.

Today, I'm excited to be my own boss. To work with many clients that I've built relationships with over the years and meet new adults and children who many not have been able to step foot on the historic grounds of the former Newport Casino. I strive to provide excellent instruction, timely communication, unbiased service to all who are interested in learning the game that I love.