JAMES CREEK
JAMES CREEK


James Creek Tennis Center is a full service, state of the art indoor/outdoor tennis facility offering tennis programs for all levels of both adults and children. Located within the newly developed James Creek Community just north of Johns Creek, the tennis center and academy are available to tennis players residing in or outside the community. As metro Atlanta’s most comprehensive tennis facility, James Creek features 14 courts, including an indoor facility and two superbly maintained clay courts, all designed and managed by tennis professionals for individuals of all skill levels.
LOCATION INFORMATION
Phone Number:
(678) 947-6154
Hours of Operation:
Monday – Friday (9AM – 8PM)
Saturday (9AM – 3PM)
Sunday (12AM – 6PM)
James Creek Tennis Center is a private facility and membership is required. Non members can participate in weekly adult/junior drills and take private lessons at a higher non member rate. For membership information, please call the Pro Shop at (678) 947-6154.
Indoor Court Fees:
Members – $25/hour (additional $5 guest fee for non member guests)
Non-members – $60/hour (non members can only reserve for same day)
Private and group lessons also available.
We accept Cash, Check, Discover, Mastercard, VISA, and American Express. All payments are made to UTA at James Creek Tennis Center.
LOCATION INFORMATION
Phone Number:
(678) 947-6154
Hours of Operation:
Monday – Friday (9AM – 8PM)
Saturday (9AM – 3PM)
Sunday (12AM – 6PM)
James Creek Tennis Center is a private facility and membership is required. Non members can participate in weekly adult/junior drills and take private lessons at a higher non member rate. For membership information, please call the Pro Shop at (678) 947-6154.
Indoor Court Fees:
Members – $25/hour (additional $5 guest fee for non member guests)
Non-members – $60/hour (non members can only reserve for same day)
Private and group lessons also available.
We accept Cash, Check, Discover, Mastercard, VISA, and American Express. All payments are made to UTA at James Creek Tennis Center.
JOB OPENINGS
JOB OPENINGS
James Creek Tennis Center is presently looking to hire a part-time front desk administrator to work 16 hours a week with the possibility of more hours when needed: Thursday 1:30-8:00 pm, Friday 4:00-8:00 pm and Saturday 8:30-3:00 pm (sometimes needed later if there is a tournament).
Job Purpose: Provides excellent service to customers that play tennis at the site; responding timely and accurately to telephone and email inquiries; booking court reservations and processing financial transactions accurately; continuously improving process and service.
Key Responsibilities: Welcomes customers by greeting them; answering questions; responding to requests. Takes tennis court reservations in person and over the phone. Directs customers to the correct tennis court. Provides information to customers by answering inquiries regarding tennis lessons and drill programs. Processes payment for court reservations, lessons, rackets, pro-shop accessories, and snacks. Contributes to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed.
Skills/Qualifications: Strong Customer Service/People Skills, Detail Oriented, Professionalism, Energy Level, Multi-tasking, Dependability, Phone Skills, Data Entry Skills (basic PC and computer skills; Word, Excel, Email and Quick Books).
Education and Experience: High School graduate; some college preferred. Prior retail sales and customer service experience. Prior experience with Microsoft products.
For more information and/or questions please contact Leslie Sanders at [email protected] or (678) 947-6154.
MEET THE TEAM
MEET THE TEAM
Meet the James Creek team! Hover over and click the below team members to meet our tennis pros and learn more about them!
Meet the James Creek team! Hover over and click the below team members to meet our tennis pros and learn more about them!

UTA Partner
Stewart Russell
Stewart Russell is originally from Northport, New York and graduated from Roanoke College in Salem, Va. with a degree in Sociology. Stewart directs the junior and adult programs at James Creek Tennis Center.
Stewart has been a USPTA Elite professional for the past 15 years and is working towards becoming a Master Professional. Stewart is a USTA National Junior Player Development coach who participates in Regional and National events hosted by the USTA. Before joining Universal Tennis Academy, Stewart was the Head Men’s Tennis Coach at Roanoke College in Salem, Virginia for five years. He was also the Director of Tennis at Brookstone Country Club in Acworth, Ga. He has a comprehensive and extensive background in teaching players of all ages and ability levels.
Stewart and his wife Penny have two children. Their daughter, Taylor, is a certified personal trainer in Savannah and their son, Justin, plays baseball at Kennesaw State University.
Work in the Community:
– Serve and Connect @ Washington Park Tennis Center
– Volunteer assistant for wheelchair tennis program created by Ron Walker @ Blackburn TC
– Volunteer assistant for Acing Autism program
– Member of the USTA National Junior Development coaching staff for 12 years
– Volunteer in all teach-a-thons to help raise funds for AYTEF and Chattahoochee Foundation
– Coordinator of Northside Hospital Tennis against Breast Cancer annual event @ James Creek TC
Email:[email protected]

UTA Partner
David Stolle
David is a founding partner at UTA and is originally from Sudbury, Massachusetts. He helps organize the programs at Chastain Tennis Center, GSU Dunwoody and James Creek Tennis Center. David earned his bachelors in psychology with a religious studies minor from the University of Virginia. He is a former number #1 singles player for the Cavaliers and was USTA/Georgia’s Junior Coach of the Year in 2002.
In addition to assisting with the tennis programs at Chastain Park, GSU Dunwoody and James Creek, David manages the UTA College Placement Program which helps connect UTA tournament players with universities. David also leads the UTA involvement in ‘Serve and Connect’ which offers free tennis classes Friday afternoons in the Fall and Spring to the students of Washington Park Tennis Center.
David and his wife Ashley, have been blessed with three energetic children: Livi, Kate, and Lex.
Work in the Community:
– Current AYTEF Board Member. Coordinated several teach-a-thons with over 75 coaches to help raise funds for AYTEF and Chattahoochee Foundation.
– Dreammakers: 3-year volunteer of free clinics to kids
– Helped create Serve and Connect program at Washington Park
– Helped organize a clothing and equipment drive for students of Washington Park. Over 700 articles of new to slightly used clothes/equipment have been distributed over the past 8 years.
– Worked with over 200 student-athletes find a college team/scholarship opportunity
Email:[email protected]

Director of Tennis
Cem Gurkaynak
Cem, a native of Turkey, has been a teaching professional for 21 years, nine of which at James Creek Tennis Center. He enjoys coaching and developing players of all ages. From 1998-2003 he was responsible for training many of the top nationally-ranked juniors in Turkey. Cem started his coaching career in Turkey, as an assistant coach, at the Ankara Tennis Club. He then became Co-director of Junior Programming at the Adana Tennis &Yacht Club, where he helped develop a successful junior program. In 2003 he moved to Rome, GA where he took a position as Head Tennis Professional at Cartersville Country Club. Cem’s coaching experience includes Professional Coaches Diploma from the Turkish Tennis Federation in conjunction with the ITF; Coaches Diploma from the Ankara Tennis Club (1997); United States Professional Tennis Association (2004); PRT – European USPTA (2006).
As a junior, Cem played on the 14 & Under Turkish National team and he maintained a top 10 national ranking in both the 14’s and 16’s. He attended Cag University where he was ranked 7th in the nation. He also received Freshman, All-Region and MVP honors. He played Division 1 club tennis and competed on the ATP and ITF professional tours. In 2004, he had a Georgia doubles ranking of 2.

Tennis Professional
Clement Darko
Clement was born in Accra, Ghana where he learned to play tennis. In 1998, he was named to Ghana’s Davis Cup team and he competed professionally on the men’s tennis circuit. He was consistently ranked Nationally in the top 5 and achieved a top 80 ranking on the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Junior Circuit. He won two junior doubles tournaments with partner Lleyton Hewitt. As a junior, he was brought to the United States on a tennis scholarship to the world-famous John Newcomb Tennis Ranch in New Braunfels, Texas. He has coached several highly ranked junior players. Clement has coached tennis for over ten years and is USPTA and GPTA Certified. In his spare time, Clement enjoys playing soccer and working out in the gym.
Email:[email protected]
Phone:(404) 277-4271

Tennis Professional
Emma Niemi
Emma hails from Cumming, GA and grew up playing out of James Creek (before it merged with UTA). She attended Georgia College where she earned a B.S. in Exercise Science and M.S. in Health and Human Performance. Emma played both singles and doubles for four years at Georgia College, her freshman year as a walk-on and the remainder three years on scholarship. She earned the following: Athletic Scholar 2014-2018, named 2nd Team All-Conference at Line 1 doubles (2017), ITA Scholar-Athlete 2017/2018 and earned 100+ career wins.
Emma coached multiple Georgia College tennis camps during the summer, primarily working with children ages 6-15 years old. Previously coached at UTA (James Creek) summer camp in 2017. Emma worked as a graduate assistant in Exercise Science throughout graduate school at GA College.
Emma is USPTA certified. She is also published in The GA College Corinthian for an exercise science-related experiment conducted during her undergraduate career.
In her spare time, Emma enjoys running, going to the beach, being with friends and family.
She will be at James Creek primarily coaching younger students although she enjoys working with all ages.
Email:[email protected]
Phone:(919) 830-4589

Tennis Professional
Gabrielle Kovacs
Gabriella is originally from Szazhalombatta, Hungary and attended Armstrong State University in Savannah, Ga. Gabriella played on the Pirates Tennis Team from 2006 – 2010. During those four years, the team won three National Championships and Gabriella was named All American five times. She received a degree in English – communications and in Public Health.
Gabrielle started to teach tennis while she was in high school years when she coached children ages 3-12 years old. She enjoys coaching younger children as well as competitive juniors. She also works with adults of all ability levels. Gabriella still enjoys competing and continues to play in professional ITF and Challenger tournaments.
Email:[email protected]
Phone:(386) 451-6490

Tennis Professional
Klara Dohnalova
Klara, originally from Trinec, Czech Republic, came to the United States in 2013. Klara was ranked in the top 10 in the Czech Republic throughout her junior and adult competitive years. She played ITF Juniors and ITF Pro Circuit tournaments before she started college.
Klara started as a student-athlete at South Carolina State University (SCSU). She was named Rookie of the Year in 2013; she was voted the Most Valuable Player in 2013 & 2014, and she was 2 times MEAC Champion in 2013 & 2014. After 3 semesters Klara transferred to Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) where Klara earned NAIA Women’s Tennis All-America First Team in 2016 & 2017. Klara was 2 times NAIA Women’s Tennis National Champion in 2016 and 2017. Her highest NAIA ranking was #5 nationally in Spring 2017. Klara graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science (Exercise Science – Wellness Promotion).
Klara’s other interests include alpine skiing, interior design, and she loves dogs.
Email:[email protected]
Phone:(803) 347-6286

Tennis Professional
Alex Ubiera
A native of the Dominican Republic, Alex was the #1 player in the 10, 12, 16 and 18 age divisions. At the age of 16, Alex achieved an ITF JR Ranking of 14. In 1993-1994 he was representing the Dominican Republic in the World Davis Cup.
Since then, Alex relocated to the United States and has found a love of teaching the game to tennis players of all skill levels.
Email:[email protected]
Phone:(860) 315-3441
STAY CONNECTED
STAY CONNECTED
17 hours ago
UTA's Summer Camp program is coming to our new location, Horseshoe Bend Country Club! ☀️
Sign up for 2021 summer camp by the end of April at either HBCC, Agnes Scott, or Briarlake tennis centers for a 10% off discount. James Creek and Blackburn are also accepting campers.
Learn more about summer camp here: utatennis.com/summer-camp/
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3 days ago
Adult Programs at Horseshoe Bend Country Club are on a roll. Come check out this beautiful space to play tennis with your friends during drills or Friday Night Frenzy!
bit.ly/HBCCAdultPrograms
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5 days ago
Join us in supporting Atlanta Youth Tennis & Education Foundation with a purchase from Kendra Scott on April 28 and 29--right in time for Mother's Day! UTA is proud to be a partner of the Atlanta Youth Tennis & Education Foundation because of the amazing work they do right here in our community. Please click the links below to find out more about AYTEF and the Kendra Scott event!
www.aytef.org/ bit.ly/AYTEFKendraScott
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