MICHAEL ROMEO
Tennis professional
USPTA CERTIFIED (since 2003); PTR CERTIFIED (since 2013)
Mike’s goal is to deliver an amazing lesson every time he steps on the court.
He has been a part of the New Jersey tennis community for most of his life. After playing Division I tennis at Seton Hall University, Mike launched his professional teaching career at West Orange Tennis Club in NJ (1992 - 2008). He later became the Head Tennis Professional at the Tennis Center of the Black Hills in Rapid City, SD. Upon returning to his NJ roots, Mike assumed the title of Assistant Racquets Professional at The Short Hills Club. More recently, he was Senior Tennis Professional at The Strand Tennis Center in Chatham, NJ for a number of years.
At Murray Hill, his passion for teaching is as strong as ever. He works hard at honing his craft, and keeping his teaching fresh. Mike is also an avid racquet technician with over 25 years of experience stringing and repairing tennis racquets.
Mike lives with his wife and two daughters in Lake Hiawatha, NJ.
chris young
Tennis professional
It takes Chris Young fifteen minutes on average to string a racquet – a whole five minutes slower than regulation U.S. Open stringers. Young’s talent on-court, however, makes up for his lack off-court.
Tennis has been a part of Chris Young’s life for 20+ years.
After claiming the 2001 NJ High School team State championship, Young went on to play NCAA Division I singles & doubles at Monmouth University.
Young decided to turn his passion into a career seven years ago. He worked closely with Michael Romeo for the four years leading up to Mike’s move to Murray Hill to become Director of Tennis.
His infectious energy, exponential patience, and ability to translate technical aspects of the game to his students make him an awesome choice for teaching juniors & adults alike.
Chris hails from Lake Hiathawa, NJ, and his stringing skills are actually pretty amazing.
David Drucker
Director of performance pathway
TENNIS PROFESSIONAL
PTR Certified for 10 & under and adult development
David has been with Murray Hill since Fall of 2018. His lessons are methodical, effective and peppered with wit. He can spot all of the little things you can’t, then come up with an immediate blueprint for how to take your game to the next level.
Not only does David oversee our Performance Pathway program at Murray Hill, he is an integral part of our ROGY & Adult programs as well. His dedication and motivation to helping you realize your Tennis goals both on and off the court are unmatched. David is also known to put on a banger of a Cardio Tennis playlist, if you’re interested in getting your groove and sweat on at the same time.
Let’s talk credentials…
• 15+ years of teaching experience
• PTR Certified for 10 & Under & Adult Development
• Former #1 junior USTA ranking in Long Island
• All-time Singles & Doubles wins record at Nichols College (2013)
• 1st Team All-Conference Singles & Doubles at Nichols College (2012 & 2013)
• All-County & All-State for Bellmore JFK H.S. (2007)
Johnson chang
TENNIS PROFESSIONAL
Johnson Chang joins our roster with over 20 years of some serious coaching experience. He’s warmed up players for matches on the biggest stage in American tennis (i.e., The US Open). This is fitting because Johnson really knows how to fire players up. If a Cardio Tennis song gets turned way, way up, you can be sure Johnson is rocking out and feeding up a storm. Peep his court and you’ll see fully engaged players eager to learn more. Late in the afternoon we sometimes hear an engine rev and realize Johnson is getting ready to depart on his...motorcycle. This guy loves to make noise. In THE BEST way. Cheesy symbolism be damned: If you want to feel a kickstart in your heart for tennis...for a love of this game that is LOUD...spend some time on-court with JC.
peter wylie
tennis professional
Peter Wylie is a gem. Most recently he worked as the Assistant Director of Racquet Spots at Essex Fells. Before that he worked here for two years. We were amazingly pumped for his return to Murray Hill. He’s a fantastic coach who delivers sound technicals. Think new school, super understanding and exceedingly driven to help you thrive on court. He’s also a crazy good player. He battled against Tiafoe (#38 in the world at the time of this writing) in juniors. Wylie has one of the biggest forehands on our coaching staff.
BEATRIX KLEIN-SZALAY
TENNIS PROFESSIONAL
Around 87 million people play tennis. Beatrix Szalay was #106.
That’s it. That’s all you need to know.
But if you want some specifics, read on sis. Beatrix is the matriarch of tennis. From 1970-1981 she cut her teeth on the tour. She can say she was the best in Hungary. B has battled on the Hungarian Fed Cup Team. She’s fist-pumped across the net from Mary Carillo and beaten Martina freaking Navratilova. Can you imagine shaking Martina’s hand after handing her an “L”? Just think about that.
Only a supremely talented few get to step onto the fresh-cut grass at Wimbledon, wash the infamous red clay out of their lucky socks, and experience the roar of NYC’s US Open fans. She’s majorly experienced. Her wisdom and reassuring tone (IYKYK) makes me believe I can hang with the best.
Beatrix has been a certified USPTA tennis professional for 20+ years. Time on court with her is invaluable.
MARIA MAHON
TENNIS PROFESSIONAL
Step on Maria Mahon’s court and you immediately sense the energy. To be honest, you can probably sense the energy from 3 courts away. Technical callouts (turn! run up! that’s it!), followed by the delightful squeals of orange ballers amped up to win whatever game they’re all heavily invested in, is the norm.
Maria has been with Murray Hill for the past five years. After playing number one singles for four years in high school, Maria competed on a tennis scholarship at Seton Hall University (Go Pirates!).
She’s PTR certified for 10 & Under and has worked as head tennis instructor for Berkeley Heights Recreation for the past nine years, teaching adults and children. She is a USTA member and loves playing on teams in the spring and winter.
So yeah, you could say she’s hugely passionate about the game. Through years of practice, playing and teaching, she’s developed a talent for instilling that same love for tennis in her students.
ASHTON CROOK
Tennis professional
Bio coming soon!
dave kilmer
Tennis professional
Dave Kilmer’s teaching style is methodical and velvety. He’s a fan of clean shots, the chip and charge and blues music. He’s part New Yorker, part Miami man and former expat (cool much?). Kilmer has over 20 years of coaching experience. Before arriving at Murray Hill he worked at Centercourt. His roles there included Performance coach, Green Ball Performance Manager and UTR Director of Competition.
BARBRA KOGAN
Director of red ball development
TENNIS PROFESSIONAL
USPTA Professional
PTR certified for 10 & Under, 11-17 and Adult Development
Barbra imagines herself as the Zen coach of Murray Hill. She has a keen technical eye and makes sure her clients know their skills, all the while leading with an easy demeanor, positive spin and lots of patience. She is a USPTA and PTR-certified tennis professional and has been with Murray Hill for over 15 years, working with children of all levels and adults. Back in the day, she won a NJ Group 3 state title while playing for West Windsor-Plainsboro High School, followed by Patriot League Division I tennis at Bucknell University.
While continuing to teach at Murray Hill, she has extended her passion for teaching tennis into high school coaching. Barbra served as the Governor Livingston High School (Berkeley Heights) Girls Tennis Assistant Coach from 2021-2023 and is currently the New Providence High School Boys Tennis Head Coach. She will soon enter her fourth season with the 2022 and 2023 North 2, Group 1 state sectional championship-winning team.
ADAM WAGER
TENNIS PROFESSIONAL
Adam Wager is a New Jersey State singles champion (1990). Adam also made it to the semifinals of Kalamazoo. The word Kalamazoo likely means nothing to you. But Kalamazoo, a city in southwest Michigan, is home to the most important tournament in boy’s junior tennis. For 78 years, some of the biggest names in tennis including Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Jimmy Connors, Andy Roddick and Rod Laver have won matches there. Hundreds battle. The winner earns a wild card into the US Open. Wager may not have made it past the final four, but he did go on to play Big 10 tennis at Michigan.
Suffice to say, Adam has played on some big stages. He’s proven his ability to perform in front of crowds. He also has unbelievable comedic timing. Which is why I sincerely hope one of the PTA parents reading this invites him to do a bit onstage for charity.
In the meantime, let’s talk about his teaching career. Adam is a wicked talented coach with the track record to prove it. Five New Jersey state singles champions and over 200 USTA nationally ranked players all trained under Adam’s direction.
But he’s just so funny.
References below:
Guess that food summer camp game.
Please forward requests to tennis@murrayhilltennis.com.
SERGEI SEMJONOV
TENNIS PROFESSIONAL
On a wintry day at the Beacon Hill paddle hut I sipped on some cider and scanned through the list of random (true) facts about our coaches. It’s part of an annual tradition at our holiday party where we try to guess who submitted what. "I love palm trees” was mysterious, hilarious and definitely not something I would’ve assigned to Sergei Semjonov.
I’m getting ahead of myself. Being that this is first and foremost a tennis bio, I’ll disclose that Sergei became the number one player in Estonia at age 16. He’s an incredible hitter. At the time of this writing he’s nursing his broken ankle back to health. So while we’re not sure about his balance, we can definitively say he’s an amazing competitor willing to do whatever it takes—including breaking bones—to win. As a coach he’s amazing at tailoring your on-court experience to your needs. His delivery is thoughtful and he'll never throw out too many corrections at once. He’s gotten so good at honing his craft that you’d expect there to be little time for off court activities. Not many moments to…say, ponder the flora.
Or fauna. I’ll also mention the fauna of Estonia. When asked what he misses most about Estonia, he says with a huge grin “I miss their big beautiful hams”. Sorry Mike.
anastasia polyakova
tennis professional
Anastasia “Nas” Polyakova had no idea what “dingles” was. “We never played tennis games growing up” she said in a way that made the temperature on the courts drop by a few degrees. From training at age 6 in St. Petersburg to playing #1 singles and doubles for St. Johns University, to dominating the dingles scene at Murray Hill, Anastasia has come a long way from the strict confines of the Russian tennis training program.
Nas currently resides in Union with her husband, two MH mascots, Antonio (3) and Milania (8 months), and her German Shepard, Mishka.
She finds not pumping her own gas to be very strange. Misses good caviar. Loves investigative crime scene television shows. Hates country music. And likes to make lasagna for her family.
We did some image-word associations to get a sense of how she has assimilated to Jersey life.
Garden State. The road, parkway.
Snooki. What?
Diners. Yummm.
Bruce Springsteen. Huh?
Wawa. Ah like 7-11.
EZ Pass - Too expensive.
We couldn’t be more pleased to have Anastasia at Murray Hill. But someone get this girl a copy of “Born to Run”...stat.
JAMES ENZLER
TENNIS PROFESSIONAL
James Enzler may have the diet of a picky first-grader, but his teaching skills get an A+. In between chicken nugget binge-sessions, you can find James following his on-court passion at Murray Hill.
While pursuing his bachelors in Elementary Education from Midland University in Nebraska, James discovered the thrill of being on a college tennis team. His experiences playing at Midland inspired his dream to coach a Division I tennis team. In 2023 he realized that dream by becoming the Seton Hall Women’s Head Coach.
His background in education makes him a downright natural for working with our junior players, but his playful personality is also a great fit for every adult who’s a child at heart.
James Enzler attributes living in NJ to making a wrong turn on the parkway – but we suspect the high volume of diners per square mile is what is really what keeps him around. We’re onto you James.
DAVE AKIN
TENNIS PROFESSIONAL
When it comes to weather affinities, Dave Akin has a preference for rain and get this….the cold!! This Arizona native has happily, eagerly!, traded climates and we are delighted.
He has an impressive junior playing background. He has 🖐🏻 state singles championships and 🏆🏆 doubles championships. (And personally I can tell you, his kick serve is nasty.)
He has an extensive coaching background. He’s worked with adults, juniors, teams and D1 players. His teaching presence is warm, confident and collected. He has an arsenal of drills, tips, tricks and strategies at his disposal. You can expect your time on court to be fresh, fun and a little edgy even. We love an out-of-state-perspective.
Outside of work, Akin loves comedy, food and exploring with his golden retriever (Andie). During those water breaks, namedrop your favorite Netflix standup special, favorite restaurant and canine friendly hotspots. Let’s give him a warm (and icy!) NJ welcome.
MAX TSIEN
TENNIS PROFESSIONAL
Meet Max Tsien. He’s a serving aficionado. Which is cool, because arguably, it’s the most important shot in tennis. In a few words, his teaching style is enthusiastic and positive. Take a clinic with him and prepare to realize your potential. He’s uber committed to making you the best player you can be. He’s great with kids and adults AND runs a fiery Cardio Tennis court.
Off the court, you can usually find Max serving up “Who’s a good puppy?” remarks to his two Pomeranians, Junior and Sabrina. This hasn’t actually been 100% confirmed, but just ask him for a pic of these fluffy floof balls and I think you’ll get what I’m talking about.
GEETIKA BHATIA
TENNIS PROFESSIONAL
Geetika’s clinics are meticulously tailored to her student’s needs. Express what you’re looking for and she will deliver 👏🏻. Each hour is thoughtfully curated. She starts simply and then layers in new ideas, tips and strategies as you go, careful not to tip the balance and overcorrect. Zero lecture. Amazing flow. 10/10 recommend.
Geetika is originally from London. I asked her what she misses most about life across the pond. Friends and full English breakfasts. I did some Googling and kicking off the day with fried bread does sound fun.
KELLY GAGLIANO
RED AND ORANGE BALL TENNIS PROFESSIONAL
PTR CERTIFIED
Kelly Gagliano and red/orange ball tennis go together like winning shots and victory dances. We love to see it! 🏆🕺 Kelly has trained under some of the best red/orange ball coaches in the game. She’s also an avid tennis player with 40+ years of experience and has her masters degree in Elementary Education from Rutgers University. She really knows how to explain new concepts to some of our youngest future champs and has a bubbly personality to boot. Catch her on Tiny Tennis, Red Champs, Red Aces and Red Max classes.