Beyer’s Lewis takes tennis lessons from coaching icon Nick Bollettieri

Ryan Lewis has pin-pointed the exact moment his game went from “good” to “great.”

It happened in December at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., under the watchful eye of the “godfather” – tennis legend Nick Bollettieri. There, the Beyer sophomore drilled with the best junior players in the country and endured courses in mental conditioning.

He returned to the Central Valley with purpose: To chase perfection.

Lewis bullied his competitors, finishing his sophomore season undefeated with a pair of titles bookmarking his place in local lore.

He won the Modesto Metro Conference title in convincing fashion and then became the first player from the southern half of the Sac-Joaquin Section to win a Division I crown since Paul Dilloway (also of Beyer) in 1999.

After a respite, Lewis was back at it again last week, linking up with Bollettieri during his West Coast swing in Newport Beach.

“I think I should take every opportunity to help my game,” Lewis said. “These next few years are important for my college career. I want to make sure I get better every step of the way.”

Lewis was invited to participate in a clinic and showcase hosted by Bollettieri at the Newport Beach Tennis Club on Thursday and Friday. He received private lessons from coaching legend and competed in a match play jamboree in the afternoons.

“He’s like the godfather of tennis. He’s trained 10 No. 1 players and he’s considered the best coach to ever live,” Lewis said of Bollettieri’s golden touch: He helped raise Andre Agassi, Monica Seles, Venus and Serena Williams, and Maria Sharapova.

“For him to invite me means a lot.”

In the last seven months, Lewis has participated in three camps conducted by Bollettierri. It doesn’t get any easier, the lessons or the nerves. Lewis admits that the magnitude of the man can be intimidating.

“It’s nerve-racking because he’s so strict but wants you to have fun at the same time,” Lewis said. “When he asks you to do something, you listen carefully but at the same time you want to stay loose so you can play your game well.”

Lewis hopes this could be the start of a memorable summer. He will participate in the Stanford Nike Tennis Camp from July 5-10.

It’s all preparation for the World Team Tennis Billie Jean King National Junior Team Invitational Tournament in San Diego, beginning July 27.

Lewis is one of six players (three boys, three girls) selected to represent Northern California at the tournament. He’ll be joined by Jack Lonergan of Rio Americano (Sacraemnto) and Kendrick Lai of Jesuit (Carmichael) in the boys’ ladder.

Like Lewis, Lonergan is a Sac-Joaquin Section champion. He won his second straight Division II doubles crown on the court opposite Lewis’ final match.

Emily McCormick (Folsom), Sarah Shin and Sabrina Sullivan (Mira Loma) fill out of the regional team. All six players hail from Spare Time Clubs, one of the largest tennis facilities in Northern California.

This story was originally published June 8, 2015 at 1:09 PM with the headline "Beyer’s Lewis takes tennis lessons from coaching icon Nick Bollettieri."