A year ago, when CEO Charles Allen shared the INTENNSE project with me and invited me to be the Head Coach for the Atlanta Team, a lot of the info was received with skepticism at first but if you’d told me a year ago I’d be coaching all mic'd up, under flashing lights in a climate-controlled arena full of loud, rowdy fans and music thumping between bolts of high-intensity tennis, I would have laughed. Traditional tennis has always been my world — the hush of the crowd, the heat of summer tournaments, and the long, grinding matches that test endurance as much as talent.

Then INTENNSE happened. And man oh man, this league took me for a ride I couldn't have imagined in my wildest dreams.

This league isn’t just a new chapter in tennis — it’s a whole new book. And I’ve been lucky enough to be one of the first coaches helping write it.

A League Like No Other
As I mentioned in the beginning, when I first heard about INTENNSE, I’ll admit, I was skeptical.

A professional league built around teams, timed match play, different scoring system, and arena-style energy? Tennis is sacred ground — you don’t mess with the traditions too easily.

But then I sat down with some of the minds behind the league, and I saw it: the vision, the purpose, the hunger to make tennis bigger, more accessible, and more exciting. And maybe, just maybe, more human.

This wasn’t just innovation for the sake of flash. It was about leveling the playing field — literally and figuratively. Equal pay across genders. New opportunities for college players and rising pros. A built-in path for talent through the Challenge Series. It was about making tennis sustainable for athletes and magnetic for fans.

That’s when I said yes. The only answer I could have given after fully understanding what this project was all about.

The Arena: Where Tennis Meets Theater
Stepping into the INTENNSE Arena for the first time was surreal. Built inside Electric Owl Studios in Decatur, it’s like no tennis venue I’ve ever seen. The court feels close — intentionally tight to pack the energy in. Lighting rigs pulse with color. There’s music, video boards, a live crowd that’s encouraged to make noise.

Forget the hushed reverence of Wimbledon. This is more like Friday night lights meet center court.
From a coaching perspective, it changes everything.

You’re no longer pacing in a quiet corner with whispers and hand gestures. You’re mic’d up, visible, part of the spectacle. You call timeouts. You sub players mid-match. You’re a character in the show — and your decisions happen fast.

Coaching “Bolts” Instead of Sets
The INTENNSE format replaces the traditional best-of-three sets with “bolts” — three timed 10-minute periods per match. The team with the most points at the end of the 3 bolts wins the match. That changes the psychology entirely.

As a coach, I had to retrain my instincts. There’s no slow burn here, no hanging back and feeling out the opponent. Players have to come out guns blazing, take risks, and go for it. There’s urgency from the very first point.

That’s exhilarating and without a doubt exhausting. Especially when you’re coaching a squad of six (three men, three women), managing singles and mixed doubles, substitutions, mental states, and gameplans across a two-hour “Surge.”

Every second counts. And believe me, so does every coaching call.

Building a Team from Scratch
INTENNSE is a team league, but in many ways, we had to become a family overnight. Our roster was made up of players from totally different backgrounds — international pros, top NCAA graduates, former tour-level players returning for a shot at something new.

What we shared was hunger. Everyone had something to prove.

As a coach, my biggest challenge wasn’t forehands and backhands — it was chemistry. Getting people to trust each other, celebrate each other’s wins, and grind together in the hard moments.

Unlike singles tour life, this wasn’t just “you versus the world.” It was us versus them.

I’ll never forget the first time one of our guys hit a clutch winner in a deciding tiebreak and the entire team ran out onto the court, screaming. That kind of celebration doesn’t happen on the ATP or WTA tour. That’s INTENNSE.

The Challenge Series: A Window to the Future
One of the most impactful parts of INTENNSE, in my opinion, is the Challenge Series. It’s a proving ground, an open competition where players not on official rosters can compete and earn their way into the league.

As a coach, I watched dozens of these matches to scout talent. Some of the kids who showed up weren’t on anyone’s radar. But they had heart. A couple of players even got to join the Atlanta Team due to injuries and got to celebrate the first season Championship with us.

Moments like that? You don’t forget them. And you don’t get them in most pro circuits. How special is that? You play in the challenge series and then all of the sudden you are celebrating winning the Championship.

Coaching in the Spotlight
In INTENNSE, you can’t hide. That goes for the players and for us coaches too.
Your decisions are broadcast live. Your reactions are caught on camera. There’s pressure, yes. But there’s also an opportunity to connect with fans, explain strategy, be part of something that feels fresh and authentic.

One of my favorite parts of the job has been walking into the arena and seeing young kids in the crowd holding signs and expressing their emotions the entire time, being able to talk to them after the match, take pictures and sign autographs.

It means something to them. And that means everything to me.

Lessons I’ve Learned
I came into INTENNSE with 25+ years of coaching behind me, thinking I had most of it figured out. This league humbled me in the best way.

I had to rethink time management. I had to trust the players more. I had to coach live, in motion, with music blaring and lights flashing. I had to be part mentor, part tactician, part hype man.
But most of all, I had to learn how to let go of control and embrace the chaos. Tennis can be rigid but INTENNSE is fluid. It’s built for modern engagement, built for entertainment, built for people.

The Road Ahead
The league’s momentum is real, and it’s fueled by a team of founders, coaches, players, and fans who believe. I do too.

This is the future of tennis not a replacement, but a revolution. A supplement to the sport we love, with new color, new rhythm, and new voices. And I’m proud to be one of them.

If you’re a player, a coach, a fan — even a skeptic — I encourage you to check out an INTENNSE match in person. You’ll feel it. You’ll get it.

And who knows? Maybe one day you’ll find yourself courtside, in a bolt, calling the shots under the lights — just like I did.