Born in Kharkov, Ukraine and moving with his family to South Carolina at a young age, Yuriy was a top-ranked junior in his home state of South Carolina and a three-time high school tennis state champion.

He comes from a tennis family, with both his brother and sister playing competitively. He played club tennis at Duke University and has always had a tennis racquet nearby no matter where he has lived, including Australia. He is an avid tennis player and coach and loves sharing the game with others. He follows the pro circuit closely. Yuriy moved to the area in the fall of 2022.

He holds a doctorate in civil engineering from North Carolina State University.