Naga tennis coach Metba K Phom appointed lead coach at Mouratoglou Tennis Centre in Dubai, becoming the first Naga GPTCA certified coach.
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DIMAPUR — Metba K Phom, a Naga tennis player and coach, has been appointed as the lead coach at the Mouratoglou Tennis Centre in Dubai. He will work under Russian head coach Daria.
The centre is part of the global network of Patrick Mouratoglou, the former coach of tennis legend Serena Williams.
Phom, who hails from Nyang village in Longleng district, became the first Naga coach under the Global Professional Tennis Coach Association (GPTCA) certified by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP). In September 2025, he was promoted to lead coach at the Mouratoglou Tennis Centre in Dubai.
Also read: Naga lad appointed coach at Sania Mirza Tennis Academy in Dubai
His tennis roots go back to 2006, when he entered the National Tennis Academy after being selected by the Nagaland Lawn Tennis Association (NLTA). He later represented the All India Tennis Association (AITA) in national tournaments.
In 2023, he was appointed to a two-year coaching stint at the Sania Mirza Tennis Academy (SMTA) in Dubai, a role he held until his recent promotion. Before relocating to the UAE in June 2022, he spent many years coaching in New Delhi.
An alumnus of Greenwood School in Dimapur, he gave up his studies to pursue tennis after the AITA, through the NLTA’s initiative, launched a selection campaign. He was one of just five students picked to train at the National Tennis Academy.
“In June 2022 I moved to Dubai to work as a tennis coach. Before that I was based in New Delhi, pursuing the sport professionally, competing in tournaments across India, and eventually shifting into coaching. Over the years I’ve trained national and international players under the guidance of many great coaches and academies,” he said.
He expressed his gratitude to Patrick Mouratoglou, Johan, and Bram for giving him the opportunity. The Mouratoglou Tennis Centre in Dubai is one of 17 centres worldwide.
"My gratitude also goes to AITA, NLTA, and NTA for launching the initiative that set me on this path. None of this would be possible without God’s grace and the unwavering support of my family, who keep me moving forward each day,” he conveyed.