He played tennis off and on with his brother and dad as a kid, but started to take the game seriously at 16 when he took lessons at the Hanover Park District, now called the Centre Court Athletic Club. Robert started competition in his senior year of high school. Despite rising from #3 doubles to #1 doubles, his coach did not choose him to play at Sectionals for a chance at qualifying for the State tournament. Though frustrated by this, Robert realized he had a passion to play tennis and decided he was going to prove his coach wrong by working hard to become a better player. After high school, Robert refined and strengthened his game by playing in a lot of adult leagues and tournaments. Then he started playing USTA tournaments, about 20 every year. He earned a ranking and ultimately rose to #5 in the Men’s 25 division for the Midwest which covers 5 states. In ‘96, Robert earned a scholarship to play college tennis at Elgin Community College, where he played for 2 years at the #1 singles and doubles positions. In ‘97 his team went to Nationals at Corpus Christy, Texas. Robert says this about his first round match: “I will always remember the experience but I wish it was a much happier match to remember. The match went to the 3 rd set and I was up 5-4, 40-15. Unfortunately I could not close it out and lost a heartbreaking tiebreaker. I can still play that last set in my mind but you know I learned from it.” Robert returned to playing USTA tournaments after college, and he finished #1 in the Northern Illinois district in 1999. Robert turned to coaching tennis in August of 2000 at Elgin Academy High School. He coached both boys’ and girls’ teams until 2004, and his boys’ teams won 3 invitational awards, something that has never been done at the school before or since. Robert says he misses coaching high school tennis and wishes he could do it again. Robert has also enjoyed teaching at different clubs. Robert says this about his Gladiator Tennis experience: “I was glad to discover Gladiator Tennis because it gave me a chance to play again at a high level and schedule matches around my time slot. I hadn’t played competitively for a few years and I was a little rusty. But I have gotten my game back! I look at that trophy at times because I have been through a lot, and to see that I can still pick up a racket and win tells me I still have that determination. I enjoyed the people I met and looking forward to seeing them again soon.”
