From the Palm Desert Tennis Club Website
It has been called the best kept-tennis secret in the Coachella Valley. High off the desert floor, with spectacular mountain and valley views, the Palm Desert Tennis Club is a gated community spread over 20 acres in South Palm Desert.

This one hundred unit complex has five separate garden areas, with a swimming pool and spa for every twenty condos. The Club employs office staff and its own maintenance staff.

Rod Laver, Jack Kramer

The Palm Desert Tennis Club has a rich tennis tradition. It was developed in 1973 by Beverly and John Fleitz. Bev was a Wimbledon finalist in 1955 and was ranked as the number one female tennis player in the United States in 1959.

Tennis immortals Rod Laver and Jack Kramer were original condominium owners.

Meet the Nordlunds

Leif Nordlund

Director of Tennis & Pickleball
USPTA Elite Professional
PPR Certified Professional

Leif started playing at the age of 5. He learned it from his dad who learned how to play tennis when he was stationed in Okinawa, Japan.

Leif's parents were both American but moved to Canada before Leif was born.
Leif was also lucky to be part of a junior program (aged 14-15) in Kelowna, BC under coach Kerry Bourdon. The program was considered one of the best in Canada. Leif went on to become ranked #4 in BC under 18s.

Leif started teaching at age 19 running the local rec center program in Kelowna, BC and then later opened his own business and eventually had his own indoor (bubble) club where he ran adult and junior programs, of note, Vasek Pospisil's family were members and remain good friends, still to this day.

Leif was certified in British Columbia and re-certified under the USPTA when he moved to the USA in 2002. He is currently a USPTA Elite Professional with 30 years of teaching experience.

Melanie Nordlund
Coordinator of Tennis & Pickleball
Accomplished Graphic Designer

Melanie started playing tennis in 1996 in Canada and took her first lessons from Leif at the facility he managed in Vernon, British Columbia (one hour north of Kelowna, BC).

Both Leif and Melanie moved to the United States 20 years ago and subsequently became U.S. citizens.

Palm Desert Tennis Club has 8 hard courts. One of the courts is fitted with blended lines for Pickleball play.

Melanie says, "We love the Palm Desert Tennis Club for its intimate layout, its warm and friendly membership, and incredible views of the mountains from every court. We have a fun, little, full-service pro shop where we sell Babolat racquets and accessories and Selkirk pickleball paddles. Leif strings a lot of racquets when not teaching or playing. Leif offers a very popular free Saturday morning clinic which may see as many of 8 to 20 participants."

Leif still plays and enters national level tournaments in his age category (50s), when he has time and Melanie enters 4.0 tournaments in the summer months when they both have more time to play.

In mid-September, 2018, Leif became certified to teach pickleball at Seal Beach Tennis Club under renowned PPR pickleball professional Sarah Ansboury.