Sunrise Tennis Club: Building Champions, Shaping Character

In South Florida, Sunrise Tennis Club has built an exceptional high performance program. It's built a community. It's the place to be in South Florida. The players who train there continue to chase their dreams while learning to lead, connect, and grow together. On any given day, you can feel the mix of focus and friendship across the courts. The program’s success comes from that balance. A balance that is credited to their team, including Keith Axelrod, Director of Tennis; Luis Soto, Head of High Performance; and the dedicated staff who make it all possible.

For Ahniya Vustsina, who recently committed to play for the University of Louisville, Sunrise has been the perfect place to grow. “I really think the coaches here push us every single day... it’s amazing,” she said. Ahniya joined the program just over a year ago and immediately felt the competitive spark. “The fact that we have a lot of good kids playing here, training at a high level, for sure makes you want to become better and be better.” 

Above: Ahniya Vustsina. Photo courtesy of Sunrise Tennis Club.

Shravani Chennamsetty, who’s heading to the University of Illinois, says Sunrise gives its players a sense of unity that’s hard to find elsewhere. “The coaches, all the players, we all push each other very, very much. We [all] travel together for tournaments,” she said. She joined in ninth grade and has witnessed the group evolve quickly. “It’s nice that we’re able to grow and have some progress — all collectively. We've learned so much about empathy, hard work, discipline, responsibility,” she said. “It helps you become a more well-rounded player.” 

Above: Shravani Chennamsetty. Photo courtesy of Sunrise Tennis Club.

Paul Bower, who started training at Sunrise when he was twelve, has seen that steady improvement pay off. Earlier this year he finished as a finalist at the 2025 Bobby Curtis Doubles Junior State Championships, one of Florida’s toughest junior events. “The coaches have been so helpful and so positive,” he said. “Even when I’m in a low part of my tennis, they’re always encouraging me to play better and improve every part of my game.” What keeps him coming back is the atmosphere. “Everyone’s my friend here, even the coaches. I wouldn’t want to play anywhere else.”

Thinking back to his first days, he laughed. “When I first came here, I was the youngest and probably the worst. Everyone was better than me, so they really pushed me. I was able to play with players much better and much older than me, so that helped me improve and grow.” 

Above: Paul Bower

Julio Troncoso spent four years at the club and sees it as the center of his tennis journey. “It’s friendly. It’s competitive. Everybody pushes you to be better,” he said. “The people here are so friendly, it feels like family.”

Julio's older brother, Luis, is the head of High Performance at Sunrise Tennis Club. He played college tennis. Already, Sunrise has helped Julio take similar steps toward that goal. He explained, “I come every day [to Sunrise Tennis Club] — I train every day. Whenever I wake up, I just try to be better every single day.” 

Above: Julio Troncoso

Sunrise Tennis Club's results reflect its approach. Players regularly earn college scholarships, reach advanced rounds at key torunaments, and build habits that last beyond competition. Sunrise’s environment encourages consistency, effort, and belief.

With Vustsina and Chennamsetty joining college programs, Bower achieving state-level success, and players like Troncoso expanding their university connections, Sunrise Tennis Club continues to open doors for the next generation of Florida talent. It remains a place where commitment leads to growth — and where every step forward begins with the same goal: keep getting better.

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Written and edited by Florida Tennis Assistant Editor Alex Binstok