iTPA Member Spotlight, Mehdi Rhazali, TPT
|
iTPA Certified Members are the top tennis coaches, fitness trainers, strength & conditioning coaches, physical therapists, etc. in the world. Every few weeks we will be adding a new iTPA Member Spotlight with information on the member and interviews. Check back soon! |
|
Mehdi Rhazali, TPT
Mehdi Rhazali Head Tennis Coach, Drexel University Email: mr557@drexel.edu Twitter: mrhazali |
Mehdi Rhazali is entering his fourth season as the head coach of the Drexel men's and women's tennis programs, and has worked steadily to build and shape strong squads for both.
Under Rhazali's direction last season, the women's squad served up its best season in program history with the most single-season wins (15) and the highest winning percentage (15-3, .833). The Dragons earned their best start to a season since the 2008-09 season, winning the first nine dual matches. The team nearly earned its first-ever win over James Madison and won tough matches over Fordham and Lehigh as well as Philadelphia rivals La Salle, Villanova, and Saint Joseph’s. On their way to success, Drexel was crowned the Flights 2 and 3 singles champions at the Saint Joseph’s Invitational as well as the Flight A doubles and Flight C singles champions at the Villanova Invitational. Freshmen Clary Rodriguez Cruz and Ryshena Providence also earned ITA national rankings heading into the spring season, ranked No. 106 and 117, respectively. The men's team finished the year with a 12-10 record and advanced to the quarterfinals of the CAA Championship. Rhazali's squad saw two athletes named All-CAA, as Nicole Pivonka received Second Team honors for singles play while also being named to the All-Academic team with fellow Dragon, Badr Ouabdelmoumen. The team also had six players earned ITA Scholar Athlete honors -- Ouabdelmoumen and Vuk Subotic on the men's side and Rodriguez Cruz, Nicole Pivonka, Erin Bowsher and Jennifer White on the women's side. The women's team was top 10 percent in the country in APR for the sixth straight year.
In 2014, Rhazali helped the men's team finish the season with a 9-9 record. That season included pivotal victories over Temple and Delaware for the second year in a row, showing those regional rivals the Dragons' ability to compete at their level. Drexel was seeded #5 in the CAA. Rhazali helped Badr Ouabdelmoumen to 17-7 singles and 14-4 doubles records, earning Second Team All-CAA and All-Academic honors. In the fall, the team won multiple flights at the Saint Joseph's Invitaitonal, including Ouabdelmoumen's second-straight Flight 1 victory.
On the women's side, Coach Rhazali helped the team to a 13-5 record, highlighted by wins against Howard, UMBC, St Joseph's, Towson, Hofstra and NJIT. Also seeded fifth in the CAA, the team received the NCAA APR Award. Rhazali helped Nicole Pivonka earn CAA All-Academic honors. She was also named the Northeast recipient of the Cissie Leary Award for Sportsmanship by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association. Pivonka and Fiorella Coria won a doubles flight at the Saint Joseph's Invitational.
During his first year as head coach in the 2012 season, Coach Rhazali led the women’s team to a 9-7 record, with a big win over fifth ranked Towson and a seat in the CAA Championship quarterfinals. The season was a success for the team as Zeynep Mafa became the first female player to receive First Team All-CAA. Teammate Nicole Pivonka was also honored with Third Team All-CAA. In doubles, Pivonka and Emma Brooke took home Second Team All-CAA, while Marcela Rosales and Mafa received Third Team All-CAA.
For the men, Rhazali helped his squad take down inner city competitor Temple, 4-3, for the first time since 2008. The Dragons also defeated Delaware twice in one season for the first time in history, one of those times to advance to the CAA Championship semifinals. The men ended their season with a 9-6 record. At the CAA banquet, Badr Ouabdelmoumen was the first male to be a First Team All-CAA recipient.
A 2011 graduate of Drexel, Mehdi Rhazali became the head coach of the Dragons in the summer of 2012. He came to the Dragons after serving as the team's assistant coach for a year, and after completing a successful playing career for the team. Rhazali was a steady presence in the lineup for Drexel for three years, playing in the team's top six each season and being named a team captain.
In 2011 as an assistant coach, Rhazali helped the men’s tennis team to a 9-8 overall record. He was also instrumental in the recruitment of players such as Badr Ouabdelmoumen, the first freshman in Drexel tennis history to earn All-CAA recognition when he was named a Third Team All-CAA performer.
On the women’s side, Rhazali helped guide the women’s team to a 13-8 record. He also oversaw the program as it earned the NCAA's Academic Performance Program public recognition award.
The time with the Dragons is not Rhazali's only coaching experience. He has worked as a tennis professional at Legacy Youth Tennis and Education, one of twelve certified regional training centers in the United States. There, where he continues to have a role, he is coaching all levels. His emphasis is on the Maximum Performance athletes, including Legacy's more-than 50 players with sectional and national USTA rankings. Rhazali is a Professional Tennis Registry certified coach who has received his USTA high performance certification as well as science level I certification. He is also ITPA certified as a tennis performance trainer.
In addition to his high performance coaching, Rhazali was one of the most sought-after staff members at ATP and WTA tournaments where he served as a hitting partner and worked closely with some of the top juniors in the country.
As a junior himself, Rhazali was ranked in the top 10 under 18 in Morocco. He won the USA National Public Park Championship in Stamford, Conn., Under 16 singles, Under 18 and Men’s Open Doubles titles while playing with his brother, Faycal, who went on to play Division I tennis at Radford University.
Rhazali, who is currently pursuing his MBA with a concentration in finance, graduated from Drexel with a degree in business administration/marketing, and finished his master's degree in sport management at Drexel in the spring of 2014. He is PTR performance, USTA high performance, and GPTCA ATP certified. In 2015, he was named to the ITA Regionals selection committee.
Under Rhazali's direction last season, the women's squad served up its best season in program history with the most single-season wins (15) and the highest winning percentage (15-3, .833). The Dragons earned their best start to a season since the 2008-09 season, winning the first nine dual matches. The team nearly earned its first-ever win over James Madison and won tough matches over Fordham and Lehigh as well as Philadelphia rivals La Salle, Villanova, and Saint Joseph’s. On their way to success, Drexel was crowned the Flights 2 and 3 singles champions at the Saint Joseph’s Invitational as well as the Flight A doubles and Flight C singles champions at the Villanova Invitational. Freshmen Clary Rodriguez Cruz and Ryshena Providence also earned ITA national rankings heading into the spring season, ranked No. 106 and 117, respectively. The men's team finished the year with a 12-10 record and advanced to the quarterfinals of the CAA Championship. Rhazali's squad saw two athletes named All-CAA, as Nicole Pivonka received Second Team honors for singles play while also being named to the All-Academic team with fellow Dragon, Badr Ouabdelmoumen. The team also had six players earned ITA Scholar Athlete honors -- Ouabdelmoumen and Vuk Subotic on the men's side and Rodriguez Cruz, Nicole Pivonka, Erin Bowsher and Jennifer White on the women's side. The women's team was top 10 percent in the country in APR for the sixth straight year.
In 2014, Rhazali helped the men's team finish the season with a 9-9 record. That season included pivotal victories over Temple and Delaware for the second year in a row, showing those regional rivals the Dragons' ability to compete at their level. Drexel was seeded #5 in the CAA. Rhazali helped Badr Ouabdelmoumen to 17-7 singles and 14-4 doubles records, earning Second Team All-CAA and All-Academic honors. In the fall, the team won multiple flights at the Saint Joseph's Invitaitonal, including Ouabdelmoumen's second-straight Flight 1 victory.
On the women's side, Coach Rhazali helped the team to a 13-5 record, highlighted by wins against Howard, UMBC, St Joseph's, Towson, Hofstra and NJIT. Also seeded fifth in the CAA, the team received the NCAA APR Award. Rhazali helped Nicole Pivonka earn CAA All-Academic honors. She was also named the Northeast recipient of the Cissie Leary Award for Sportsmanship by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association. Pivonka and Fiorella Coria won a doubles flight at the Saint Joseph's Invitational.
During his first year as head coach in the 2012 season, Coach Rhazali led the women’s team to a 9-7 record, with a big win over fifth ranked Towson and a seat in the CAA Championship quarterfinals. The season was a success for the team as Zeynep Mafa became the first female player to receive First Team All-CAA. Teammate Nicole Pivonka was also honored with Third Team All-CAA. In doubles, Pivonka and Emma Brooke took home Second Team All-CAA, while Marcela Rosales and Mafa received Third Team All-CAA.
For the men, Rhazali helped his squad take down inner city competitor Temple, 4-3, for the first time since 2008. The Dragons also defeated Delaware twice in one season for the first time in history, one of those times to advance to the CAA Championship semifinals. The men ended their season with a 9-6 record. At the CAA banquet, Badr Ouabdelmoumen was the first male to be a First Team All-CAA recipient.
A 2011 graduate of Drexel, Mehdi Rhazali became the head coach of the Dragons in the summer of 2012. He came to the Dragons after serving as the team's assistant coach for a year, and after completing a successful playing career for the team. Rhazali was a steady presence in the lineup for Drexel for three years, playing in the team's top six each season and being named a team captain.
In 2011 as an assistant coach, Rhazali helped the men’s tennis team to a 9-8 overall record. He was also instrumental in the recruitment of players such as Badr Ouabdelmoumen, the first freshman in Drexel tennis history to earn All-CAA recognition when he was named a Third Team All-CAA performer.
On the women’s side, Rhazali helped guide the women’s team to a 13-8 record. He also oversaw the program as it earned the NCAA's Academic Performance Program public recognition award.
The time with the Dragons is not Rhazali's only coaching experience. He has worked as a tennis professional at Legacy Youth Tennis and Education, one of twelve certified regional training centers in the United States. There, where he continues to have a role, he is coaching all levels. His emphasis is on the Maximum Performance athletes, including Legacy's more-than 50 players with sectional and national USTA rankings. Rhazali is a Professional Tennis Registry certified coach who has received his USTA high performance certification as well as science level I certification. He is also ITPA certified as a tennis performance trainer.
In addition to his high performance coaching, Rhazali was one of the most sought-after staff members at ATP and WTA tournaments where he served as a hitting partner and worked closely with some of the top juniors in the country.
As a junior himself, Rhazali was ranked in the top 10 under 18 in Morocco. He won the USA National Public Park Championship in Stamford, Conn., Under 16 singles, Under 18 and Men’s Open Doubles titles while playing with his brother, Faycal, who went on to play Division I tennis at Radford University.
Rhazali, who is currently pursuing his MBA with a concentration in finance, graduated from Drexel with a degree in business administration/marketing, and finished his master's degree in sport management at Drexel in the spring of 2014. He is PTR performance, USTA high performance, and GPTCA ATP certified. In 2015, he was named to the ITA Regionals selection committee.
