Our Founders
Chris Begg, Co-Founder & Director, Axis Tennis
Chris Begg, world-renowned as a high-performance architect, began his coaching journey in the lecture halls of England. He advanced through many of the sport’s most respected training centers, eventually arriving at Axis Tennis in South Florida, an academy he co-founded to reshape the pathway for rising players. Armed with a B.Sc. in Sports & Exercise Science with Management from Loughborough University and the sport’s highest professional credentials (GPTCA Level A, RPT Master Professional, USTA Elite Professional, among others), Chris blends evidence-based methodology with a mentor’s instinct for unlocking human potential.
From Global Academies to a Singular Vision
Chris began at Acestars (UK) and honed his skills at John Newcombe’s Texas ranch, where he embraced a disciplined, holistic approach to training. At Sánchez-Casal Florida, he coached players at all levels, refining methods for personalized progress within group settings.
At the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca, Chris helped design the curriculum, manage staff, and shape top talents. Working closely with Toni Nadal, he guided juniors transitioning to professional and collegiate tennis, fostering a high-performance culture that endures today.
Building Axis Tennis - A Program That Scales Excellence
As co-founder of Axis Tennis in Delray Beach, Chris brings elite academy expertise to players of all ages, from top ITF juniors to emerging ATP and WTA professionals. His coaching blends technical precision with mental resilience, producing champions at every level.
Coaching Philosophy & Impact
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Evidence-Driven: Chris integrates sports science metrics into individualized development plans, ensuring each athlete’s work is purposeful and measurable.
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Character & Culture: A former Head Boy and recipient of the Loughborough Experience Award for leadership, he fosters a growth mindset that values accountability and empathy—cornerstones of the Axis community.
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Global Network: Well-entrenched in the sport’s international inner circle, Chris leverages strong relationships with leading coaches and top-tier tour professionals on every continent, giving Axis athletes direct access to world-class insights, mentorship, and competitive pathways.
Most recently, Chris worked with two leading American prospects, Cooper Williams and Ben Willwerth. He began working with Ben in his early teenage years—refining his individual playing identity, assembling a robust support team, and crafting a tournament calendar calibrated to his style and long-term progression.
Under Begg’s leadership, Axis Tennis has become more than an academy—it is a launchpad where aspiring juniors, collegiate hopefuls, and seasoned professionals converge in a shared pursuit of excellence. His unique blend of scientific rigor, global perspective, and compassionate leadership continues to shape athletes who thrive at the sport’s highest echelons.
Shariq Khan, Co-Founder & Director, Axis Tennis
Shariq Khan’s two-decade career fuses elite coaching expertise with business acumen. A former Division I athlete who double-majored in Accounting and Finance at the University of Texas at San Antonio, he now channels boardroom precision and courtside intuition into every project—whether guiding juniors to Ivy League campuses or reviving underperforming clubs.
From Distressed Courts to Centers of Excellence
An “average” college player who never imagined an international tennis career, Shariq began coaching at the renowned John Newcombe Tennis Academy, working alongside top professionals. When two of his leading juniors joined the USTA Player Development program in Boca Raton, he relocated to continue guiding them—collaborating with the national staff and gaining experience through training sessions with top U.S. players and coaches.
He later honed his skills under Hall of Famer Nick Bollettieri at IMG Academy and at top academies in Barcelona, where he exchanged ideas with some of Europe’s best coaches.
A three-year collaboration with former World No. 4 and French Davis Cup captain Sébastien Grosjean followed, during which he led developmental programs for elite juniors, college players, and ATP/WTA professionals.
Building Axis Tennis—Pathways Over Podiums
As co-founder of Axis Tennis, Shariq blends elite coaching expertise with operational strategy to build one of the world’s premier high-performance academies. His athletes earn placements at top universities such as Harvard and Duke, while also making breakthroughs on the professional circuit.
Coaching Philosophy & Impact
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Pathway-Centric Mentorship: Tennis is the means, not the end. Shariq aligns sport development with academic counseling, guiding families through scholarships, grants, eligibility, and recruitment processes.
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Foundational Mastery & Technical Precision: Believing that long-term potential begins with strong fundamentals, Shariq prioritizes stroke mechanics across every shot. By eliminating technical weaknesses early, he ensures athletes possess an unrestricted toolbox—ready to adapt with fluidity and maintain sustainability under stress.
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Tactical Discipline & Strength Optimization: Shariq instills a disciplined framework for point construction, training athletes to leverage their strengths under pressure, translating into consistent match-winning tactics.
Over two decades, Shariq has guided players from their first swings as toddlers all the way to collegiate scholarships and professional debuts. Anchored in individualized long-range planning, stroke mechanics, and tactical precision, his approach has produced Ivy League admits and Grand Slam breakthroughs. His latest protégé, American standout Agassi Rusher, has trained with Shariq since age 11 and already sits just outside the ITF junior top 150 while earning his first ATP point at sixteen.
Synthesizing the wisdom of legendary mentors with his own entrepreneurial flair for streamlining club operations, Shariq has elevated Axis Tennis into a performance ecosystem where aspiring juniors, collegiate contenders, and seasoned pros converge to maximize their potential. His track record underscores his ability to cultivate athletes who excel at every stage of the game.