LAKE Tennis

On the competitive side, Andy was honored at the site of the US Open in 2004, by then USTA president  Allen Schwartz, for completing a Gold Slam. A gold Slam is the equivalent to a Grand Slam on the pro level. Andy competed and won the four national titles on four different playing surfaces in one calendar year, to win this unprecedented award. The only 30 and over player to do so, at that time. In 2003, Andy won the National 30s Hard court title in Austin, TX; the National 30s Indoor in Salt Lake City, UT; the National 30s Grass Court in Scottsdale, AZ; and the National 30s Clay Court in Palm Coast, FL, to complete the Slam.

LEFT: Andy at US Open with former NYC Mayor David Dinkins, 2004

After his Gold Slam year, Andy was invited to join the International Lawn Tennis Club of the United States (USIC), and has enjoyed friendly competition and international travel by playing tennis for the USIC team. He has twice captained the US team, as they competed for the Amigos Cup. In 2007, the Mexican IC awarded him honorary membership to the Mexican IC.

Andy has held the ranking of number one in various age brackets throughout his career, in both singles and doubles.

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In 2006, Andy was selected as playing Captain of the USTA Men's 35 and over team to compete in Durban, South Africa. The team consisted of four members who competed against 16 other countries. The USA came in fourth place. Andy won a 3rd place medal for his efforts in the singles draw.

In 2008, Andy was again selected as playing Captain of the USTA Men's 35 and over team, and competed in Manavgat, Turkey. He and the team had great wins during the trip, but missed the chance to place after falling to eventual champions, Argentina. 

Andy was featured on the 2006 cover of Tennis magazine, in a special summer issue describing players who reach for their peak. he has also been featured in many Tennis magazine photo layouts featuring various drills.

He twice was on hand at the WTA's Family Circle Cup as a much sought-after hitting partner for the women tour players. In 2008, he had the "dilemma" of whose side to sit on, after two of his players had to compete against one another to reach the final. In the end, he found himself in the winner's box of future #1 in the world, Caroline Wozniacki.

ABOVE: Caroline Wozniacki and Andy.  BELOW: Sania Mirza and Andy, Charleston, 2008

ABOVE: Justin Gimelstob

ABOVE: Dominik Hrbaty

ABOVE: Robert Kendrick

ABOVE: Simon Bolelli

ABOVE: Stefan Koubek

ABOVE: Sebastian Grosjean

Andy Lake was born in New York, the youngest of six children. He played sports throughout his childhood, never far from a ball, a court or playing field.

He excelled in three sports in high school: soccer, basketball and tennis. Andy enjoyed many successes in all three sports, breaking records, some that still hold today. Andy was named the local newspaper's Player of the Year in soccer; named to that paper's All-Star team in basketball for two consecutive years; holds the record for most points scored in basketball for his high school; winner of four consecutive sectional tennis titles; and three consecutive county tennis championships.

Andy was a member of the gold medal winning Hudson Valley basketball team at the Empire State Games, where his team defeated other teams from New York, that boasted players that went on to the NBA, such as Christian Laettner, Kenny Anderson, Dennis Scott and more.

Andy received a full scholarship to Marist College to play Division I basketball. There, he is ranked fourth in all-time scoring. Andy holds a BS in Criminal Justice, and a BA in Communications.

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After graduation from college, Andy headed to Los Angeles to play in the NBA scouting camps. At UCLA, he was chosen to play for a German team in the European pro league, but was cut before he headed overseas. He then switched gears, had his mom FedEx his dusty racquet to California, and a tennis teaching career was born.

Andy taught in the Los Angeles area for a short time, then headed East to assist his oldest brother, Bob, at the Yonahlossee Resort and Club in Boone, North Carolina. in addition to teaching, Andy tried his hand at the competitive side of things again, and got into tournament play. He ended 1995 #1 in NC 25s and #3 in Men's Open Singles.

After proving so successful while still being a working, family man, Andy decided to pursue tennis on an even higher level, and chose to compete on the ATP satellite tour. Traveling all over the country to various tournament sites, Andy grinded his way to a world ranking before an injury sidelined his aspirations.

        L-R: Roscoe Tanner, Fernando Maynetto, Andy, Johan Kriek. Linville, NC, late 1990's

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He returned to tennis on a teaching level in New York, onto South Florida, back to North Carolina, and eventually back to South Florida in 2001, where he started the tennis program as Hawks Landing's first Director of Tennis.     

                           Andy has won 59 prestigious USTA National ball awards --

                      34 gold, 16 silver and 9 bronze in both singles and doubles play.

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