Staff
Say hello to the most accomplished staff of tennis professionals in Knoxville, Tennessee. With former and current touring players, seasoned veterens of tennis coaching and up-and-coming new faces, SMTA has more than 100 years of coaching experience to serve your tennis needs.
Steve Annacone
Owner / Director
Steve has been a tennis professional and coach for the last 35 years. His experience includes seven years of ATP Tour coaching experience as coach for Paul Annacone (highest world rankings, #12 in singles, #2 in doubles). Steve has been Head Tennis Professional at Fox Den Country Club, Gettysvue Country Club, Knoxville Racquet Club & Cedar Bluff Racquet Club. In 1996, he founded Smoky Mountain Tennis Academy as an alternative to the higher priced private clubs in the Knoxville area. Steve was named TTA Pro of the Year in 1998. He has been on the TTA Junior Competitive Committee since 1991 and is on the USTA Player Development Committee for the Southern Tennis Association. Steve Annacone is also the owner and Tennis Director for Annacone Tennis Management, a company specializing in management of tennis facilities. ATM currently manages the tennis programs at Smoky Mountain Tennis Academy, Green Meadow Country Club, Blackberry Farm, Montauk Yacht Club and Mashashimuet Park in Sag Harbor, N.Y.
David Berens
SMTA Director of Operations
David began his tennis career hitting balls against a backboard in LaFollette, Tennessee. He went on to play for Campbell County High School and Carson-Newman College. After college he continued his tennis career becoming a USPTA P1 rated certified tennis professional and has taught at Tyson Park in Knoxville, TN; The Ritz-Carlton Tennis Garden in Key Biscayne, FL under Cliff Drysdale; The Islamorada Tennis Club in Islamorada, FL; Sunset Hills Country Club in Carrollton, GA; Beaver Brook Country Club in Knoxville, TN and currently serves as Director of Tennis Operations for Smoky Mountain Tennis Academy.
Michael Bales
Head Professsional
Michael was a scholarship player at Carson-Newman College for a team ranked in top 10 nationally all 4 years. He was a tennis pro at the famed Bollettieri Academy for 3 years, at Cedar Bluff Racquet Club for 15 years and has currently been at Smoky Mountain Tennis Academy for 11 years. Michael is a USPTA Pro 1 rated certified tennis professional.
Travis Fields
Staff Professional
Travis has been teaching and coaching tennis since 2005. He is a USPTA Level 2 Certified Pro. Travis played collegiate tennis at Milligan College and is a former SMTA student. Travis has been the Head Tennis Coach for the Boy’s and Girl’s Oak Ridge High School Tennis Teams since 2009. He attended the 2010 USPTA conference in Naples, Florida, which demonstrated the “Spanish method of training and coaching” tennis.
Chris Kiser
Staff Professional
A Texas Native, Chris played college tennis at Temple College and the University of North Texas. He has a great passion for the game and over 10 years of experience teaching adults and children of all ages including state and nationally ranked juniors. Chris was a Staff Pro for six years at the famed West Side Tennis Club at Forest Hills in New York City and he is certified by the USPTA.
Karmelina Woody
Staff Professional
Karmelina was ranked the #1 junior player in Puerto Rico (16 & under and 18 & under). She was also Puerto Rico National Doubles Champion (1999). Karmelina played for Tennessee Technological University and Georgia State University. She was on the Puerto Rican Fed Cup team in 2001 and 2002. She is a PTR certified tennis professional and served for 3 years as Junior Development Director for Alejandro Arias Tennis Academy Karmelina has been an SMTA Staff Pro since August 2008.
Kiril Tcherveniachki
ATP Touring Professional
Raised in New Zealand, Kiril began playing tennis at age 7. He began competing on the ITF Junior Circuit, where he reached top 50 in the world. Kiril was recruited in 2004 to play on the University of Tennessee Tennis Team, where he captained the team in his final year.
Currently, he is competing on the ATP Tennis Tour and holds a professional world ranking. Kiril has coached in various clubs and programs in Tennessee for the past five years, including Smoky Mountain Tennis Academy and Green Meadow Country Club. He also serves as Director of Tennis for Sag Harbor Park Tennis in the Hamptons, NY.
Kiril looks forward to using his experience on the pro tour to help every player reach their tennis goals!
Jacob Jensen
Staff Professional
Jacob is a Sport Psychology Consultant and a USPTA-Certified Tennis Professional with varied coaching and playing experience. He enjoys combining coaching tennis with working with athletes on mental skills training. He is a PhD candidate in Sport Psychology at the University of Tennessee, and before moving to Knoxville was the assistant women’s tennis coach at the University of Utah and Director of Junior Tennis at the Salt Lake Swimming and Tennis Club. He played four years of college tennis and continues competing in Men’s Open and Futures tournaments.
Steven Boeder
Staff Professional
A North Carolina native, Steven has been teaching at SMTA since 2010 and is active in USTA league play. Upon leaving North Carolina State University, Steven spent 10 years in Florida and moved to Knoxville in 2005. He specializes in beginner lessons for juniors and adults as well as 10 and Under tennis. He is a certified USPTA teaching professional available for both private and group lessons as well as USTA team practices. He currently teaches the Mighty Mites, Future Stars, and JDP programs for juniors and is a USTA certified referee.
Chase Thomas
Staff Professional
Chase comes to us from Cleveland, Ohio. His family was a active in tennis with his father being a college tennis coach. He started playing tennis at age 5 and continued his career playing at Mount Union College. He is currently playing on the Futures Circuit and serves as a Staff Professional at Green Meadow Country Club.
Terri Tracy
Office Manager
Terri (or TT) has been working for SMTA since July of 2009. She has extensive league play beginning in 2007 at Fort Sanders and continuing at SMTA in 2009. In 2010 she played for the local 3.0 league champions and for the state runner up team. As well as being a crucial part of our office staff, she is also the league and block time coordinator. She has a Sociology degree from Huntington University in Indiana and is married with three children.
Jessica Tcherveniachka
ATM Director of Operations
Born and raised in Knoxville, Tennessee, Jessica attended the University of Tennessee and graduated with a degree in Enterprise Management and International Business. She has worked in tennis club management for four years in Knoxville, as well as two years of club management in the Hamptons. Jessica serves as Annacone Tennis Management's Director of Operations and Director of Operations at Sag Harbor Park Tennis in the Hamptons, NY.
