Lee Merry

Lee Merry (Born 1951) is an American Tennis Coach living in San Diego, California. Currently coaching Bradley Klahn whom he started at age 11. Bradley was the 2010 NCAA Singles Champion, No. 1 ranked junior in the US, and All-American and No. 1 player at Stanford University where he graduated in 2012. Lee is continuing to coach him on the ATP World Tour where he currently has a career high ranking of 123.
Coaching
Collegiate coaching
Lee became the youngest coach in the US at the age of 25 when he accepted the Head Coaching position at the U of Houston. In his first year the teams record was 10 wins and 12 losses. In one year after recruiting David Dowlen (1978 National Jr. Champion), Nduka Odizor, and Joel Hoffman the team finished 20W and 6L and finished the year ranked #9 in the nation. The team would go on to 3 more years of top 15 finishes in the nation. Odizor and Dowlen were NCAA’s semifinalists in doubles and All-Americans. One year after turning pro they won the tournament of Champions in Doubles defeating the No. 1 world ranked team of John McEnroe and Peter Fleming in the finals. After 5 years of collegiate coaching Lee would return to Southern California to continue his career closer to his family.
Academy coaching
Lee owned the Lee Merry Workout Program in San Diego with 3 locations and over 200 adults and jr. participating from 1984 to 1987. At one time Lee led a staff of 8 professionals, including Kathy Willette and Bill Foley in a program that included just about every top junior player. There has never been a program that was as big or successful in San Diego.

Lee co-owned with Woody Blocher the Canyon Hills Racquet Club located in Escondido, CA from 1987 to 2001. The club was a 6 acre, 13 ct. (2 clay courts) facility with private club house and pool. During his 15 year ownership Lee directed and instructed private and adult and jr. tennis programs. Lee along with Woody Blocher were the directors of the Merry Blocher Tennis Academy that housed players from all over the United States. Over 30 junior tennis players received tennis scholarships during that time.

In 1985 Lee began teaching Angelica Gavaldon at the age of 10 years old. Lee worked with Angelica exclusively and by the time she was 17 she was ranked in the top 40 in the world, defeating 5 top ten world ranked players. She reached the quarter finals of the Australian Open at the age of 17. Lee traveled with her and coached her at the US Open, French Open and Wimbledon Championships.
Present
Lee Merry has been located at the Rancho Bernardo Community Tennis Center in Rancho Bernardo, California since selling his tennis club in 2001. That is where he began to teach Brad Klahn at the age of 11.

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