Tennis Pros & Pickleball Instructors

Sylvain Malroux, Head Pro

Teaching Pro Sylvain Malroux is joining us again this season as the Head Pro for the Tennis & Pickleball Center, bringing with him his expertise in both sports. Sylvain recently wrapped up his seventh season as Head Coach for the UNR men’s tennis program, winning Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year honors while guiding the team to its first Mountain West title and qualifying for the NCAA Tournament for the first time ever. Under Malroux's guidance, the men’s team had four players earn All-Mountain West honors in 2022.

Prior to coaching the men’s team, Sylvain was the Nevada women’s tennis head coach from 2006-11, after which he spent time coaching the San José State Spartan’s women’s team from 2011-15 (taking them to the NCAA Tournament for the first time ever as well), before returning to coach the Wolf Pack men’s tennis team in 2015. Sylvain began his coaching career in the U.S. as an assistant coach at Clemson University (which made two Final Four appearances), and was named the ITA Division I Southeast Region Assistant Coach of the Year in 2003 and 2004. He has also been coaching tennis in the French federation, running many different academies and tennis clubs in France and the U.S.

On the pickleball side, Sylvain has taught pickleball lessons for years, has guided pickleball-themed travel excursions to France, competes at the 5/5.5 level, and is finishing his Level 2 certification from the International Pickleball Teaching Professional Association (IPTPA). Malroux now lives in Reno, but is originally from Aurillac, France, and he and his wife Adrienne have two sons, Lohan and Milo.

Billy Knight, Teaching Pro

Billy returns to the IVGID tennis staff for his 27th year of professional instruction. Billy is a USPTA Certified Elite Professional. He offers a strong technical and fundamental approach to teaching at all levels, while emphasizing and developing individual strengths and styles of play. He has worked on the ATP and WTA pro tours as a coach and racquet stringer. He has collaborated with James Blake, Jan Michael Gamble, Amelie Mauresmo, Paul Goldstein, Mardy Fish, Sam Querrey, Mikhail Youznhny, John Isner, Michael Russell, and many more. 

Billly was born and raised in Chicago before moving west and landing in Incline Village in 1982. Billy has been married to LeAnn for 22 years and they have one son, Tyler.

Deanne Larsell, Teaching Pro

Deanne grew up in Oregon where she was a three time High School State Doubles Champion. She played college tennis at Oregon State University and went on to be a tennis professional a Tumwater Valley Racket Club in Olympia. Deanne then began her 25 year teaching career in Health and Physical Education for Portland Public Schools. She also coached tennis at Pacific University and Benson High School where she won a USTA National No Cut Coach award for the Pacific Northwest. 

Deanne continues to compete at 5.0 and recently as a 4.5. She went to USTA Nationals several times with teams at the 5.0 level. For over 10 years, Deanne and her doubles partner were ranked #1 in the PNW section. Deanne has been a USPTA certified Professional for over 35 years, loves to teach and is very excited to be back at the Incline Village Tennis Center.

Dominic Morelli, Teaching Pro

Dominic has been a teaching pro at the Incline Village Tennis & Pickleball Center since 2016. He’s a USPTA Certified Level 1 Coach and teaches youth clinics, camps, tennis academy, cardio tennis and adult lessons. Dominic has been playing tennis since he was a boy and won State Champions for his high school team two years in a row. He also has been playing pickleball for several years and is available for private pickleball lessons. When he’s not on the courts, Dominic likes to surf, run, snowboard and lift weights to stay active.  

Alan Guthrie, Teaching Pro

Originally from the Fresno area, Alan Guthrie has been teaching tennis for over 45 years and pickleball for the past few seasons. As a tennis player, he won back-to-back conference championships with Fresno City College before jumping into the retail world by opening his own tennis store at age 25 and operating it for 25 years.

As a teaching pro, Alan ran the junior program at Serrano Country Club in the Eldorado Hills. And he has embraced the recent growth of pickleball and is constantly expanding his pickleball knowledge and teaching capability.