Best Tennis Coaches in Phoenix 2026: Carlos Tellez, Andrew Reiff, Samar Chandler, & Gilbert Compared

Best Tennis Coaches in Phoenix 2026: Carlos Tellez, Andrew Reiff, Samar Chandler, & Gilbert Compared

Updated June 2026 - By the TeachMe.To Editorial Team

Phoenix is one of those rare metros where the private tennis instruction market has genuinely matured. Carlos Tellez, one of the most-reviewed tennis coaches on TeachMe.To’s Phoenix roster, carries a perfect 100/100 happy student score across 82 verified reviews - a consistency benchmark that is genuinely uncommon even in high-volume coaching markets. Year-round warmth and a dense network of outdoor courts have created sustained demand for private instruction here, and the coaches active in Phoenix today bring serious competitive and teaching pedigrees to the court. Lesson rates across the market span $31 to $75, putting Phoenix at a comfortable mid-range relative to coastal metros, though the spread also reflects meaningful differences in format, experience level, and what the coach actually brings to a session.

Choosing a tennis coach in Phoenix comes down to three variables that matter more than any single ranking: credential anchor (what professional background does the coach bring, and does it match the level you are trying to reach?), lesson format (does the coach come to you, or do you travel to a fixed facility?), and first-lesson risk-reversal (what happens if the fit is not right?). This post compares four active instructors in the Phoenix market - two TeachMe.To coaches and two well-known local instructors - so you can match those variables to the way you actually want to learn, rather than defaulting to whoever ranks first on a search page.

The 4 coaches and academies compared

Carlos Tellez

Carlos Tellez holds TeachMe.To’s two highest platform designations - Super Coach and Student Favorite - both awarded on the basis of verified review volume, rating consistency, and student satisfaction signals. His 82 reviews carry an average rating of 4.99 out of 5 and a happy student score of 100/100, making him one of the most-reviewed tennis coaches on TeachMe.To’s Phoenix roster. At the $$ price tier, he sits in the mid-range of the Phoenix market.

Carlos operates a fully mobile model: he travels to the court that works for the student, removing the logistical friction that makes private lessons hard to sustain over time. Students across his review record describe a coaching style built around patience, clear technical feedback, and a calm progression through fundamentals - foot positioning, stroke consistency, and practical drills that translate directly to on-court performance. He also draws consistent praise for his work with younger players, with multiple reviewers noting that his ability to keep sessions motivating and focused makes him especially effective with youth.

Here is what recent students have said:

“Honestly, I felt pretty comfortable during the lesson, especially because Carlos is really patient and encouraging, which helps a lot when you’re trying to improve your stroke. Though I wasn’t expecting much, I think I actually learned quite a bit, particularly about foot positioning and consistency.” - Yu X.

“Carlos was a really good teacher. He helped me spot what I needed to work on to improve my tennis skills, and honestly, he made the lessons pretty enjoyable too. If you’re looking for someone who’ll really listen and help you refine your game, you might want to give him a try.” - Jonny D.

“Carlos is a great coach for youth, bringing efficiency and inspiration to every session. A standout moment was how motivating and clear his guidance was throughout the lesson. Tennis made fun and rewarding!” - Dohan K.

Best for: Adult beginners and intermediate players who want structured technical work on groundstrokes, serve return, and footwork - delivered at their own court on their own schedule. Also a strong fit for parents seeking a patient, youth-experienced instructor for junior players who need both technical grounding and motivation to stay engaged.

Trade-off: Carlos’s price tier is $$, which sits above the floor of the Phoenix market. Students who want the most budget-accessible entry point may want to compare with Andrew Reiff at the $ tier before booking.

Andrew Reiff

Andrew Reiff is a TeachMe.To Super Coach with 46 reviews, a 4.95 average rating, and a happy student score of 100/100. He brings a distinctive competitive credential to the Phoenix market: 30 years of coaching experience anchored by a background as a former Division I collegiate athlete. His own description of his approach - blending high-performance techniques with personalized coaching - reflects a philosophy that runs clearly through his student reviews: fundamentals first, then deliberate progression upward from there. At the $ tier, he is the most accessible price point among TeachMe.To’s active Phoenix coaches.

Like Carlos Tellez, Andrew operates a fully mobile model and has coached students across the Scottsdale corridor and the broader Phoenix metro area. Students consistently highlight the quality of his instruction on groundstrokes and serves, the warmth and encouragement he brings to every session, and his ability to produce visible improvement within a single lesson. One reviewer noted improvement mid-session; another booked a drop-in lesson while visiting the area and left with concrete feedback to carry home. That flexibility - and the consistency of outcomes described across 46 reviews - signals a coach who calibrates quickly to where a student actually is.

Here is what recent students have said:

“Andrew is an awesome coach! He starts with fundamentals and has a nice way of working you up from there. He is also very personable, approachable, and very encouraging. I’m looking forward to my next lesson!” - Kelly W.

“I had a great lesson with Coach Andrew! I was just visiting the area and not only got to spend a fun morning playing tennis, but walked away with feedback I’m excited to implement. I was already seeing improvement by the end of our lesson. Coach Andrew was encouraging and helped me improve my groundstrokes and serves.” - Olivia M.

“Andrew is so patient and knowledgeable! He is also very encouraging. I am a complete novice and I saw so much improvement in a single lesson. I would recommend him to anyone.” - Kersten F.

Best for: Complete beginners who want a coach with genuine competitive credentials and 30 years of teaching experience - at the lowest price tier on TeachMe.To’s Phoenix roster. Also a strong choice for intermediate players who want to rebuild fundamentals under a coach with a high-performance background, and for out-of-town visitors who want a productive single-session experience.

Trade-off: Andrew’s review volume (46 reviews) is solid but lower than Carlos Tellez’s (82 reviews). Students who weight review depth as a primary selection signal may prefer the larger sample size Carlos offers - though the 100/100 happy student scores are equivalent across both coaches.

Samar Chandler

Samar Chandler is an Arizona tennis instructor whose genuine strength is pricing flexibility and multi-format accessibility. Chandler offers private, semi-private, and group lesson formats, with a rate structure that spans meaningfully across those tiers - making it possible for students to start in a more affordable group setting and step up to private instruction as their game develops. Outdoor instruction is available, which aligns well with Phoenix’s year-round playing climate.

For players who want to share the cost of a lesson with a friend or small group, the semi-private and group options represent a structural advantage that neither TeachMe.To coach currently advertises.

Best for: Budget-conscious players who want access to multiple lesson formats under one instructor, or small groups of friends or family members who prefer to split the cost of instruction.

Trade-off: Chandler does not appear on the TeachMe.To platform, so the booking experience, first-lesson guarantee, and verified review record that come with TeachMe.To listings are not available here. First-lesson policy details are not publicly specified, which means prospective students should clarify refund or cancellation terms directly before booking.

Mark Gilbert

Mark Gilbert is an Arizona tennis instructor whose offering centers on private instruction with structured package pricing. Gilbert provides private and semi-private lesson options, and offers a four-lesson pack discount for students who are ready to commit to a block of sessions upfront. The package model is a practical incentive for players who have already done the vetting work and want to lock in a lower per-session rate across a dedicated training block.

For players who prefer to negotiate pricing through commitment rather than session-by-session booking, Gilbert’s four-pack structure offers a concrete financial advantage within the Phoenix market.

Best for: Players who have already identified a coaching style they want to commit to and are looking for a volume discount on a block of private lessons. Also a reasonable option for players who want semi-private or group formats combined with discounted bulk pricing.

Trade-off: Like Chandler, Gilbert does not appear on the TeachMe.To platform, so first-lesson guarantee and verified review records are not available. The four-pack discount model requires upfront commitment, which represents a higher initial financial risk than a single-session booking with a refund-backed platform like TeachMe.To.

How to decide

The right coach depends on where you are in your game, what you need from the coaching relationship, and how much financial risk you want to take on before you know the fit is right:

• If you are an adult beginner, intermediate player, or tennis parent looking for a patient coach with proven youth experience, the highest review volume on TeachMe.To’s Phoenix roster, and a mobile model that comes to your court - Carlos Tellez is the natural fit.

• If you are a complete beginner or a player returning to the game who wants a former D1 athlete’s 30 years of coaching experience at the most accessible price tier on TeachMe.To’s Phoenix roster, with a 100/100 happy student score and a mobile model - Andrew Reiff is the strongest starting point.

• If you want to share lesson costs with a friend or small group, or you prefer a rate structure that lets you start with group instruction and scale up to private sessions over time - Samar Chandler’s multi-format pricing model is worth exploring directly.

• If you are a committed player ready to pre-purchase a block of sessions and want a per-lesson rate reduction through volume pricing - Mark Gilbert’s four-pack discount structure is a practical option to consider.

Browse the full tennis coaches in Phoenix roster to see current availability, or explore all tennis coaches across the TeachMe.To network if you want to compare options in other metros.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do tennis lessons cost in Phoenix?

Private tennis lesson rates in Phoenix currently span $31 to $75 per session across coaches active in the market. The right investment depends on coaching experience, session format, and lesson length. Carlos Tellez is priced at the $$ tier and Andrew Reiff at the $ tier on TeachMe.To - both within that market range. It is worth reviewing each coach’s listing for current session details before booking.

What should I look for when choosing a tennis coach in Phoenix?

Start with verified review volume and average rating - both signal real student outcomes rather than marketing copy. Beyond ratings, look for alignment between the coach’s stated focus and where you actually are in your game. Format matters too: both Carlos Tellez and Andrew Reiff operate mobile models, meaning they travel to the court location that works for you, which removes the commute barrier that often derails lesson consistency. Finally, check the first-lesson policy - a refund-backed guarantee changes the risk calculation meaningfully.

Where do the TeachMe.To coaches teach in Phoenix?

Both Carlos Tellez and Andrew Reiff use a fully mobile teaching model - they travel to the court location that works for the student across the Phoenix metro area. This is a meaningful structural advantage for students who have access to a court near their home, workplace, or school, because it eliminates the need to commute to a fixed facility. Reiff’s reviews also confirm active coverage of the Scottsdale corridor within the broader metro.

Are these coaches good for kids or complete beginners?

Yes - both TeachMe.To coaches have strong beginner and youth track records. Carlos Tellez draws specific praise in multiple reviews for his work with younger players, with reviewers noting his ability to keep sessions motivating and his guidance clear and age-appropriate. Andrew Reiff has coached complete novices to visible improvement within a single lesson, and his fundamentals-first approach maps naturally onto new players who need to build from the ground up. Either coach can start a beginner; the choice comes down to age of student and preferred price tier.

Is there a free or risk-free first lesson option with TeachMe.To coaches?

TeachMe.To backs all lessons on its platform with a guarantee - if the first lesson does not meet expectations, the booking is fully refundable within 24 hours. This applies to both Carlos Tellez and Andrew Reiff. Neither coach requires a paid package commitment before the first session, which means the financial risk of trying a new instructor is low. Samar Chandler and Mark Gilbert are not on the TeachMe.To platform, so first-lesson policies for those instructors should be confirmed directly before booking.

How do I book a tennis lesson with Carlos Tellez or Andrew Reiff?

Both coaches are bookable directly through their TeachMe.To listings: Carlos Tellez and Andrew Reiff. The booking flow on TeachMe.To handles scheduling, payment, and the platform guarantee in one place. You select a time, confirm the court location, and the coach comes to you - no phone calls or back-and-forth emails required.

Methodology

Coach quality signals for Carlos Tellez and Andrew Reiff - including review counts, average ratings, happy student scores, and Super Coach and Student Favorite designations - are drawn from TeachMe.To’s platform record as of June 2026. Market price data (the $31 to $75 rate range) is computed from the active Phoenix-metro tennis coaching roster on TeachMe.To at the time of publication. Competitor summaries for Samar Chandler and Mark Gilbert are drawn from their publicly available instructor profiles and listing snippets; no third-party rating aggregators were used for the TeachMe.To coach assessments.

Carlos Tellez (82 reviews, 4.99 avg, 100/100 happy student score, Super Coach + Student Favorite) and Andrew Reiff (46 reviews, 4.95 avg, 100/100 happy student score, Super Coach) are both currently active on TeachMe.To’s Phoenix roster, both travel to your court, and both bookings are fully refundable within 24 hours if the first session is not the right fit. If you have been putting off private tennis instruction, the combination of mobile delivery and that risk-reversal guarantee makes now a straightforward time to start.