Coaching Team

Clive Martin
Senior Coach

 Coaching Style: I believe in getting the best out of each player, by teaching good technique and getting the player to play smart tennis. Tennis is a simple games sometimes made complicated Experience: Clive has coached in the UK, Europe, and Australia and has over 35 years of coaching and playing experience. LTA (UK) representative coach and hitting partner 1985-1989. Head coach at clubs and tennis centres in both the UK and Australia, with 4 years ATP tour experience. For 10 years, Clive represented the Hertfordshire LTA (UK) team and was a coach to Cliff Richard and other high profile entertainers whilst he resided in London. His career highlight was playing at Wimbledon in the 1984 qualifying singles. Key Attributes: Honest, strong work ethic, determined Qualifications: LTA (UK) development coach 1987 and ATPCA (Australia) level 3 master pro 2013   

Alexis Joye
Head Coach

Coaching Style:I am a 33 year old French Coach, my coaching philosophy is based on friendship and development. Success is built on effort and resilience. I’ve now stepped back into the Head Coach role at Tennis Gear doing Hot Shots, Squads and private coaching. Key Attributes:I enjoy bringing an element of fun to the court while maintaining a strong commitment to improving the skills of all players. I love planning Tennis Programs, organising events, having an awesome leadership team and developing tennis players. Experience and Qualifications:Leysin Tennis | October 2021-PresentSquad Coordinator (Leysin, Switzerland) Managing the squad and the adult programs conducted at the tennis centreDeveloping state ranked junior tennis playersTeaching padel lessonsManaging the staff, equipment and marketing resources Tennis Escapade | September 2021-July 2022Head coach (Gravelone, Switzerland)Coaching tennis at the centre and at different schools Creating tennis groupsConceive tennis programsOrganising different events (tournaments, social tennis) Five Sports Management | July 2020-September 2021Senior coach (Geneva, Switzerland)Conducting group and private lessons in a luxury hotel Teaching high-quality lessons for the clients Managing tennis programs at a ski station (Verbier) Spin Tennis | February 2020-June 2020Senior coach (Singapore)Conducting group and private lessons Creating tennis groups for different venues Promoting the academy on social medias Experience:2020- 2024Squad Coordinator (Leysin, Switzerland)2019-2020SingaporeTennis coach with Top Spin Academy2017-2019Squad Coordinator at Morningside Tennis Center2010- 2017FranceHead coach in ParisQualifications- Swiss Tennis Federal CertificateNovember 2021 Bienne, Switzerland- Padel Coach Bronze Hello Padel2024 Geneva, Switzerland- Diploma of Youth Education and SportSeptember 2010 Créteil,France)

Jacqui Pacholec
Senior Coach

Coaching Style: I believe tennis can teach a person more than tactics and techniques. Tennis can develop a player’s mindset, motivation and confidence in one’s life. I have seen this with myself and my players. I want to focus on developing the essential technical and tactical skills while having an amazing and memorable time on court.Experience: I have been playing tennis for 16 years where I lived and played in Melbourne. I competed in junior tournaments from the age of 12 and participated in my high school 1st team from year 7 onwards and was a member of the first Girl’s tennis team to win the APS tennis premiership (2015). From 2016, I moved to Townsville for university and became acquainted with Wayne Hannah at tennis Townsville and he introduced me into coaching. I have been coaching with TennisGear since late 2018, coaching all ages and groups from hot shots, squads, school and private coaching.Key Attributes: Focused, kind hearted, passionate on the development of each player I work with. Determined to work towards seeing growth in the participation of women in tennis from their younger years and continuing through their teenage and adult years.Qualifications: Community coaching course certificate

Cian O'Brolchain
Senior Coach

Coaching Style: In my opinion, tennis is the greatest sport in the world. Saying that, I think it is one of the most difficult sports in the world, from a technical, physical and mental standpoint.  There are so many things to learn in tennis and believe that learning good technique is crucial for the early days of your tennis journey. Everyone is different, some people are stronger, fitter, better technically and mentally. Its so important for both coach and players to discover what their strengths and weaknesses are and work to develop those skills along with putting extra work into the areas that are not so good. Playing matches and tournaments is one of the most important parts of a players progress and development. Learning how to deal with pressure, keeping calm, putting what you practice, both on and off the court with your coach and others,  into a match, can really test you and give you the confidence, belief and positive attitude to go onto bigger things. One of the most important things for me when coaching is that the players and myself, enjoy being on the court, learning new skills, seeing progress, getting good exercise, giving 100%, being passionate about the game, and meeting new people. Key Attributes: Working with people, taking on challenges, performance and success motivates me. I believe that having passion and vision enables people to reach their goals, follow their dreams and achieve great things in life. The key ingredients to achieve results is being prepared and organised, staying positive, research and knowing what you are doing.I like to push my players to challenge themselves and me, while improving their technical skills and physical capabilities. The more work you put into tennis and other things, the more you get out of it and will enjoy the process and the end results. There is always room for improvement and the skills you learn from tennis are transferable to other sports and other walks of life. Having a healthy body and mind is so important for the game of tennis and life in general. Most importantly, we must enjoy playing tennis and being on the court. I would describe myself as motivated, practical and productive. Experience: I have been involved in coaching and playing tennis at a high level in Ireland and around the world for the last 30 years. During my coaching years in Ireland, I have worked with junior national squad players on all aspects of the game to improve individual tactics and technique. I have coached all ages (3yrs – 80yrs) and standards of tennis players in different tennis clubs and centres. I have also been involved in managing / captaining tennis teams, organising tournaments, sports administration, sports management, marketing and corporate finance. I give motivation presentations to tennis players, teams, sports clubs and corporate.Past Captain of Charleville LTC Mens 1st team.Past Captain of University College Dublin Tennis Club.Past winner of school, university and interprovincial tennis tournaments and leagues in Ireland.  Queensland Tennis Centre – Senior Tennis Coach: 2016-2017 Dublin City Parks Tennis League – Head Tennis Coach: 1996- 2013 Westwood Club (Dublin) – Senior Tennis Coach: 2007-2010Parklands Sports Centre (Sydney) – Senior Tennis Coach: 2005-2006Academie Menard Girardin (Montreal) – Tennis Coach: 2001Roosevelt Island Racquet Club (New York) – Tennis Coach: 2000Charleville Lawn Tennis Club (Dublin) – Tennis Coach: 1998-2002Realised a childhood dream of mine, by climbing to the summit of Mt Everest in 2012. For me it was like winning Wimbledon, maybe a bit easier but much higher risk.Qualifications:Tennis Ireland Level 0 & Level 1 coaching qualificationProfessional Climber and Mountain Guide with World Sherpas PTY LTDMSc in Financial and industrial Maths: Dublin City UniversityBA in Maths and Statistics: University College Dublin

Yanchen (Edward) Liu
Coach

Coaching Style:My coaching philosophy focuses on helping players maintain the essential core tennistechniques while maximizing each player’s unique strengths and potential. Ratherthan applying the same approach to every player, I tailor my training to suit individualneeds. At the same time, mastering the core techniques is crucial, as it ensures thateach training session moves in the right direction. This balance between preservingindividuality and ensuring strong fundamentals is at the heart of my teachingapproach.Experience:I officially joined Tennis Gear in 2024, bringing with me over ten years of tennisexperience. I grew up in China, where I started learning tennis from a young age. InChina, coaches tend to focus heavily on the details of every movement, with a strongemphasis on perfecting each step. However, as I grew older, I realized that this strictteaching style can sometimes cause beginners to lose interest in the sport. This insighthas inspired me to adjust my own coaching approach, aiming to maintain engagementwhile still emphasizing fundamental techniques. During my undergraduate studies, Ialso represented my college and won a university-level doubles championship. Now,as part of the Tennis Gear team, I am dedicated to coaching Hot Shots, schoolprograms, squads, and offering private lessons.Key Attributes:I combine fun with technique in my coaching, focusing not only on improving tennisskills but also on fostering each player’s understanding and thinking about the game. Ibelieve it’s essential for players to immediately apply the new techniques they learninto match scenarios. This hands-on approach helps solidify their skills and enhancestheir overall development.Qualifications:Community coaching course certificate

Mathieu Penfornis
Senior Coach

Coaching style I’m passionate about helping players grow both on and off the court. I always aim to create a fun, positive, and motivating environment where players feel confident to express themselves.My lessons focus not only on technique and tactics but also on mindset, consistency, and enjoyment. I believe tennis should always be about progress, passion, and pleasure — because at the end of the day, tennis is a game meant to be enjoyed.Experience I joined Tennis Gear in July 2025, from France.I played competitive tennis from during 5 years, and soon after, I began coaching at clubs across Western France.For the past three years, I have been Head Coach for tennis and padel at a French academy in Marbella, Spain. I’ve also had the opportunity to teach tennis in Guadeloupe and the South-West of France.These experiences have allowed me to develop a wide range of coaching skills and a deep understanding of what players need to progress while enjoying the game.Key Attributes 7 years coaching experience Head Coach 2022-2025 for a tennis academy (France & Spain)Competiton Tennis in France (French Ranking : 15) Qualification Certificate Tennis Coach from France (DEJEPS)Certificate Padel Coach From France (TFP)CQP Educator Tennis from France 

Phill Byhalove
Senior Coach

Coaching Style: I love watching tennis and I love watching my students grow into better tennis players! I believe in time and practice makes better players. I love the light bulb moments in kids and I love seeing adults come back and try Tennis again!  Experience: I am a Tennis Australia Development Accredited coach and Tournament Supervisor, coaching since 2016. I’ve worked with players of all ages, from 3 to 75 years old, across Red, Orange, Green ball, and squad training. Key Attributes:  As a parent of two children (12 and 15), I understand the importance of a supportive and engaging coaching environment. I love working at Morningside with the tight community we have here.  

Dongze Li
Coach

Coaching Style:My coaching philosophy is built on my experiences in both China and Australia. I adapt my teaching to each player’s unique understanding of tennis, helping them not only master the fundamentals but also develop their own style on court. I want my players to find confidence and passion in the parts of the game they enjoy most. With four years of coaching experience, I see myself as both a strict mentor and a supportive hitting partner, ensuring training is disciplined yet enjoyable. Experience:I started playing tennis at the age of nine and reached the top three in doubles at the provincial level in Hunan, China, where I also represented my province in national tournaments. Growing up in China’s demanding training environment gave me resilience and a deep appreciation for the sport—insights I now share with my players to help them grow both on and off the court. Key Attributes:I focus on individualized coaching, strengthening technique while making learning engaging. By recreating match scenarios and using game-based drills, I help players improve their tactical awareness and build a genuine love for tennis. Qualifications:I hold a National Tennis Athlete Certificate in China and am certified through Tennis Australia’s Community Coaching program.

Damien Roberts
Head Coach & Development Manager

Coaching Style:
I believe in leading with passion, professionalism, and purpose. My approach is centred on creating an environment where people feel inspired, supported, and motivated to reach their full potential both on and off the court. I value teamwork, respect, and continuous growth, ensuring that every individual feels part of a positive and inclusive community.

Experience:
As General Manager at TennisGear, I oversee operations, programs, and people across multiple centres. I take pride in building strong teams, driving excellence in coaching, and promoting participation in tennis for all ages. My passion lies in making a lasting impact, helping children and adults develop skills, confidence, and a lifelong love for the sport.

Key Attributes:

Passionate about sport and community development

Strong leadership and management skills

Dedicated to creating supportive and growth-driven environments

Experienced in developing teams and enhancing player experiences

Qualification:

Extensive experience in sports management and coaching leadership

Ongoing commitment to professional growth and community engagement