LAKE NONA, Fla. – The United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA) is proud to name Lucas Regas Melero of Naples, FL (Florida Division), the 2021 USPTA Tim Gullikson Touring Coach of the Year.

The award is selected based on the recipient’s work with a playing professional on the ATP World Tour, the WTA Tour and/or touring juniors.

Twenty-twenty was a challenging year for everyone. The ITF circuits were shut down from March to September due to Covid. Academia Sanchez Casal where Lucas is tennis director was only able to host one ITF men’s pro circuit event in February before the shut-down. However, with many alumni returning to Naples during the pandemic, Lucas made sure that training never ceased. Academia Sanchez Casal partnered with Universal Tennis to host the Universal Tennis Pro Tour. As director of tennis, Lucas successfully worked to make Naples, Florida, a tennis hub to provide opportunities to juniors, collegiate players, and transition players to train and compete in a one-of-a-kind tennis facility.

About the USPTA: Founded in 1927, the USPTA is the global leader in tennis-teacher certification and professional development. With more than 14,000 members worldwide and 17 divisions nationwide, the Association’s mission is to raise the standards of tennis-teaching professionals and coaches and to promote a greater awareness of the sport.

Media Contacts:

James P. Burke
Director of Marketing and Communications
james.burke@uspta.org
407-634-3071 ext. 142

Mike Calendrillo
Public Relations Coordinator
mike.calendrillo@uspta.org
407-634-3050 ext. 114