Meet Our Pros
2024 Staff Introductions
LUKE TAPLIN
Luke returns to us for a sixth season in Southampton. Originally from Auckland, New Zealand,
Luke regularly competed in National tournaments, team events, and ITF competitions around New Zealand and the South Pacific Islands. In 2016, Luke embarked on a collegiate Tennis career at St. Thomas Aquinas College in New York, graduating after much success in the spring of 20220. Luke is stepping into a leadership position in Southampton after working the Winter with Cliff Drysdale Tennis at the Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne Location.
SHAWN BASSETTE (Pro Shop Manager)
Shawn is a graduate of Colby-Sawyer College with a Bachelor’s degree in BusinessAdministration. Originally from Plattsburgh, NY, Shawn’s passion for tennis led him to compete at the collegiate level, where he represented his team at the NCAA tournament each year. Now residing in Fort Lauderdale, FL, he currently serves as an Operations Coordinator for Cliff Drysdale Tennis, where he provides support to multiple facilities nationwide. Shawn will manage the proshop operations at Southampton this coming season.
CARLOTA CASASAMPERE
Returning for her third season, Carlota is 24 years old, from Barcelona Spain. Carlota graduated from Fordham University and Long Beach State where competed at the NCAA DI level, as well as college tennis Carlota has competeted at a national level in her home country.Carlota will be returning as a teaching Pro as well as Marketing Coordinator for Southampton Racquet Club. Carlota will be available for clinics and lessons throughout the summer; she has many years’ experience teaching all ages.
ZINO VAROUHAS-POOLE
Zino is from Wellington, New Zealand. He is currently competing at the DI level at Siena College in upstate New York, and he is coming to us after a successful sophomore year. Zino has valuable prior experience coaching at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, as well as development level acadmey coaching at Planitpro Academy in Wellington, New Zealand. Zino also holds a Tennis New Zealand base level coaching certificate.
SOL TERRACINA
Sol is from Buenos Aires, Argentina. As a professional tennis player, she competed in National tournaments, ITF tournaments, and played for the first leagues in several countries. Sol maintained ranking and won a few tournaments within the FFT (French Tennis federation). As a double player competed at the WTA level, and earned points at this level. Sol joins us in Southampton after spending a year at other CDT locations, prior to this she gained experience coaching professional players. Sol is excited to be teaching clinics and lessons this upcoming 2024 season.
INDIA AMPAW
Indy is joining the team having competed at the Division 1 level at 3 different institutions, in Alabama, South Dakota and Maryland. Hailing from London England, she began playing at the age of 3, and began coaching at 17. India has experience coaching at the ITF level, national/performance level, and at a recreational level. She loves to work with all ages and abilities!
REBECA TUDOSE
Rebeca comes to us from Romania. She has been playing tennis from the age of 6 years old and is a former WTA player and touring ITF Pro Circuit player. She has won multiple trophies in the Romanian National Championships during a stellar playing career. As a coaching professional she has over 4 years experience coaching a variety of ages and levels.
ANA GONZALEZ
Ana is originally from Rosario, a city in the province of Santa Fe, Argentina. She spent the 2023 Summer Season at our CDT location in Saltaire Yacht Club in NY and had a successful summer. Ana also has coaching experience in her home city at the academy of former professional Luli Mancini. Currently, Ana is playing for Coastal Georgia University at the number one spot and leading the team as Captain. We are thrilled to have Ana join us in Southampton this season.
CLIFF DRYSDALE, Founder & President
Professional Biography
Both on and off the court, International Tennis Hall of Fame member Cliff Drysdale is one of the most popular personalities in the international tennis community. Drysdale has devoted over four decades of his life to promoting the advancement of the tennis culture. His leadership and contributions span across an award-winning career as a professional player, his leadership roles in advancing Open Tennis and in the founding and presidency of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), a 30 year+ tenure as an ESPN tennis analyst, and the ownership of the tennis and sports management company, Cliff Drysdale Tennis.
About Cliff Drysdale Tennis
Founded in 2001 by International Tennis Hall of Fame member Cliff Drysdale and partner Don Henderson, specializes in daily tennis operations and management for resorts, hotels and private tennis clubs; sports design and construction consultation for companies interested in building world-class tennis facilities; tennis educational programs, summer camps, clinics and retreats; and resort, hotel corporate outing planning and leisure operations. CDT is dedicated to growing the game of tennis and strives to develop, promote and teach new programs that bring more tennis to more people. As the sport continues to grow, as does the CDT commitment to hire, educate and advance talented tennis professionals that provide service excellence both on and off the court. Cliff Drysdale Tennis’ managed property portfolio currently boasts 27 tennis facilities nationwide, including multiple Gold, Silver and Bronze Medal ranked tennis resorts on Tennis Resorts Online’s Top 100 list. For more information, visit www.cliffdrysdale.com
