 About Us
Nathan Willingham: Chief Executive Officer  Original founder of Global Tennis Inc. Nathan Willingham started playing tennis in 1980. He had a very successful junior career in California before moving to Tennessee where he finished well as a junior and went on to a dominant freshman tennis season at Union University making all conference NAIA. As a Sophomore Nathan moved on to Mississippi State University. After college Nathan played ATP circuits while coaching junior tennis players during the week where he found his true calling and passion. Nathan began his coaching career in the year 2000. Some of his accomplishments in coaching include: Director of Junior Development @ Tennis Memphis, the tennis management company for the City of Memphis Tennessee known nationally for its fund raising and competitive tennis results. Nathan was the National Zonal Team Coach for the United States Tennis Association at the University of Texas in Austin as well as a Competition Training Center coach for the USTA. Most recently Nathan was the head tennis professional at the Oxnard Tennis Center in Oxnard California where he founded High Performance International (HPI) a very specialized tennis academy that boasted top USTA, ITF, ATP, and WTA athletes. Nathan has made a career pulling great people together with the idea that a good team can help achieve unimaginable success.Nathan’s biggest gift as a tennis coach is his ability to motivate athletes to believe in themselves. As a result Nathan’s students have had great success going higher and becoming more successful at tennis than they ever imagined. Nathan believes in coaching the complete personal development in his students, he is often referred to as a life coach. James Lewis Jr.: Chief Operating Officer  Co-founder and facility owner, Jim Lewis brings an incredible amount of value to Global Tennis Inc. Jim is accomplished in many different areas that include as a youth training and showing championship show horses. In high school Jim embarked on a rodeo career that led to professional rodeo and success as a champion calf-roper, and steer wrestler. Jim started playing tennis in high school to stay in shape for his rodeo career and the rest is history. Jim’s professional tennis career allowed him to compete with the world’s most notable players. Jim is also a Hollywood stuntman and has made many major films including the movie “The Last of the Mohicans’s”.In 1990 Jim founded TC Tennis Ranch where he established a European style red clay court as well as a grass court. Jim coaches, prepares and tours with world class tennis athletes from around the globe. Jim Lewis has been successful in whatever he chooses to take on and is currently setting sights in his time off the tennis court to play professional golf on the Sr. PGA tour one day. Jim knows no limits when it comes to success and recently saved the Texas Canyon Tennis Ranch from complete destruction by fire during the devastating fire storm that ravished Bouquet Canyon in mid November of this year. He refused to evacuate and because of his courage and tenacity, he not only saved the Tennis Ranch but his neighbor’s ranch as well. Levar Harper-Griffith: Vice-President  Co-founder and professional tennis player, Levar has been compared to Arthur Ashe as an incredible American talent known for his punishing back hand, his charm and courtside manner. Levar has been dealt a number of blows in the way of injury and unfortunately politics. These life lessons have further motivated Levar to find his own success through leading by example at Global Tennis Incorporated. Levar has a chance not only to re-ignite his own career but to enrich so many careers to come. Having represented the United States in Zimbabwe for Davis Cup and with some 12 pro circuit titles to his name, Global Tennis Incorporated is unique to have a talent and a success like Levar available for training and encouragement for developing young athletes. |
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