The Team
Meet our dedicated coaches, who are passionate about developing players into better athletes and fierce competitors.
Harel Srugo
Director
With over 35 years in the tennis industry, Harel Srugo’s journey began as a junior player in Israel, leading him to compete professionally and at the highest collegiate level. Representing Old Dominion University and later UCLA, Harel reached a ranking of number 7 in the NCAA. His experience in high-level competition shaped his understanding of the discipline, mental resilience, and work ethic required to excel.
Harel’s coaching career started at just 20 years old, working with some of Israel’s top juniors. After his successful playing career at ODU and UCLA, Harel coached two top Southern California juniors, TJ Pura and Michael Genender, who were both top 10 in the nation. Pura and Genender went on to play college tennis for Duke and Stanford respectively.
Harel’s passion for developing young talent led him to work as an Assistant Director at the John McEnroe Tennis Academy in NYC. At JMTA, Harel served as the head coach for Jamie Loeb (NCAA's Singles Champion), and worked with other top American juniors, including Alex Kovacevic (ATP 72), and Noah Rubin (ATP 125), as part of the academy’s coaching team. While living in NY, Harel continued to play on the futures and challengers tour and served as traveling coach for Dudi Sela (ATP 29), and Alex Bogomolov (ATP 32).
Driven by a vision to create a more family-oriented environment for high performance training that is built on the foundations of a strong relationship between the coach and the players, Harel founded the Srugo Tennis Academy in 2019. Not only does his philosophy emphasize skill, athletic, and tactical development but also mental toughness, accountability, and independence. By understanding each player’s unique goals, Harel and his coaching team provide personalized guidance to help athletes reach their full potential—on and off the court.
Callum Smith
Head Coach
Callum grew up in London, England, training under his first coach from ages 8 to 16. This strong relationship became one of the key pillars of Callum’s coaching philosophy. Over the last six years, his coaching and leadership at STA have played a vital role in developing players to compete at the highest levels of college tennis.
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As a player, Callum won multiple ITF junior titles and trained at Team Bath, where he worked with top coaches and Grand Slam players. He competed at Junior Wimbledon and was seeded No. 3 in England’s 18 & Under Nationals before continuing his career at the collegiate level in the U.S.
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With over eight years of high-performance coaching experience, Callum leads Srugo Tennis Academy’s High-Performance Program. For the last three US Open championships, he has been part of the coaching team for German player Maximilian Marterer (ATP 45).
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He is deeply committed to his players, building strong connections that extend beyond the court and guiding them in both their athletic and personal growth. As a coach, he sets high expectations, challenging his players to be disciplined and train with the intensity and mindset required to succeed at the highest levels of the sport.
Shahar Biran
Marketing Manager/ Tennis Professional
Shahar began her tennis career in Israel, where she became a highly competitive national and international junior player. Her success led to selection for the Israeli national team, where she represented Israel in Fed Cup. She then continued her playing career at Old Dominion University and the University of South Carolina, both top-20 NCAA Division I programs, where she was nationally ranked in singles.
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Since joining Srugo Tennis Academy in 2024, Shahar has been dedicated to sharing her competitive experience and supporting athletes in achieving their goals. As a tennis professional, she serves as a sparring partner, mentor, and traveling coach, helping players develop discipline, work ethic, and key athletic skills. She believes that with hard work and dedication, players can be successful and unlock their full potential.
Flavio Carretero
Tennis Professional
Flavio grew up in Madrid, Spain, where he developed a deep passion for tennis from an early age. After competing as a junior, he continued his playing career at the collegiate level at the University of Mount Olive.
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His dedication to player development led him to start coaching at a young age, working with players of all ages and abilities to help them maximize their potential. He has since coached in high-performance programs in the New York area, guiding competitive players to success at various stages of their careers. At Srugo Tennis Academy, Flavio remains committed to inspiring and developing the next generation of players using his experience as both a player and a coach.