Our Lavie Tennis team offers coaching for beginner to advanced players both junior and senior. The junior program aims to get young players competing regularly as a part of their development, and senior coaching caters to the needs of each individual player. The Lavie coaches are qualified and professional, offering modern coaching philosophies to help improve your tennis on court as well as grow your tennis worlds around the club. Our overall goal is to connect all elements at the club to grow the club community and make it a thriving place for both juniors and seniors to hang out at.

Sebastian Lavie

Founder and Director 
Auckland, New Zealand

Former Davis Cup Member
WTA certified and registered coach
Former coach of top 100 ATP/WTA players
Tennis New Zealand Coach of the Year (2017)

Sebastian was born in Auckland where he was introduced to tennis at the age of 4. By the time he was 11 he moved to France where he spent 10 years training at the Mouratoglou Tennis Academy, learning from some of the best players and coaches in the world. Sebastian went on to be New Zealand's top junior. He competed at all the junior Grand Slams and was a member of the Davis Cup Team.

He transitioned into coaching on the professional tour and was mentored by Patrick Mouratoglou. During his formative coaching years, he worked with players who competed at the Grand Slams, Master Series and other big events on tour.

After six years on tour Sebastian decided to focus on player development back in New Zealand. He worked with some of the top Kiwi juniors and set up training camps for Davis Cup players. In 2019 he opened the Lavie Tennis Academy which is considered the leading performance tennis Academy in the country.

Coach Nicolas Moreno, originally from Colombia, has been part of the Lavie Tennis Academy for the past five years and works across all areas of the program. With a high-level playing background, he brings strong intensity to every session and is able to push players of all levels while keeping structure and purpose at the centre of his coaching.

Having grown up on clay courts, Nicholas has a strong understanding of the tactical side of the game and how to build points. His ability to adapt to different players and maintain high standards on court helps ensure every session delivers clear progress.

For Private Lesson availability message Nico: +64 22 394 5847

Coach Salomon Diaz has developed his coaching philosophy under the guidance of world-class mentors across Argentina and Spain. In Argentina, Salomon trained with Leonardo Lerda, coach of two WTA top-20 players, and later spent a year at Jofre Porta’s Global Tennis Academy, where Porta was instrumental in the early careers of Carlos Moyá and Rafael Nadal.

Since moving to New Zealand, Salomon has worked with some of Canterbury’s top junior players and is now part of the coaching team at Lavie Tennis Academy. Coach Salomon's approach focuses on helping players understand their game, reflect on their performance, and take ownership of their development — with the goal of raising their game to the next level!

For Private Lesson availability message Salomon: +64 274 477 706

Walter Sudour, originally from France, has worked across all ages and levels and now focuses on our development programs as well as the 12U performance stream. He uses a variety of training tools to target specific technical areas, helping players build strong foundations from an early age. Walter brings a calm presence to the court, creating an environment where players can develop both technically and mentally. His energy and humour make sessions exciting and engaging, helping players stay motivated while learning the game the right way.

Walter will be on leave until next term, available for private lessons when he returns.

Coach Naruto Sutherland  is a qualified ITF level 1 Coach with Lavie Tennis Academy where he leads group lessons and one-on-one hitting sessions. With recent tournament experience in New Zealand and Japan, he brings fresh insights and a competitive edge to his coaching.

At 20, Naru has transitioned from competitive tennis to coaching and player development. He adapts his approach to each player’s needs with energy and enthusiasm.

His background in high-level competition provides him with a deep understanding of what it takes to excel, enabling him to effectively challenge and motivate players to reach their best.

For Private Lesson availability message Naru: +64 21 270 4728

Current weekly private lesson availability can be found HERE.

For Pompallier Class Enquires and General Information contact Rebecca: +44 7477 863391 or email admin@lavietennisacademy.com