Rice Tennis Standout Robert Searle Turns Pro
5/30/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
May 30, 2006
HOUSTON - After competing in his fourth-consecutive NCAA singles championship, Robert Searle, one of the most successful players in the history of Rice Tennis, has announced his plans to join the professional tour.
The native of Orpington, England has been the number one singles player for the Owls for his entire collegiate career and has been ranked in the top 10 in the nation. Searle has been a Regional Singles Champion as well as Conference Player of the Year on multiple occasions. As team captain he has been an exemplary leader and ambassador for the Owls and for Rice University as a whole. The coaching staff and his teammates look forward to following his progress as he flies the flag for Rice University in the professional ranks and as he strives for success at the international level.
"Rob has been an outstanding college player and I am excited about his chances of success on the pro tour," head Coach Ron Smarr said. "He will be a great representative for Rice University and his success on the tour will continue to help us develop our reputation as a tennis powerhouse. His teammates and the coaching staff look forward to seeing him succeed and we wish him all the best."
"I am very excited about what the future holds for me....I am under no illusion that it will be easy just because I succeeded in college, but I like my chances," said Searle. "Chasing a dream of being a world class tennis player and winning pro titles is something that inspires me and I am grateful for the ability I have to try to realize that dream. Some people spend their whole lives searching for something that drives them...I am lucky enough to have found that and I am going to go out there and give it everything I have.
"I'd also like to thank all the loyal fans who have come out and supported me and my teammates during my college career. I look forward to representing Rice in the pro ranks...and maybe I will be back in Houston playing a pro event - if so, I hope to see you there!"
If you have questions about Robert Searle's plans and schedule, please contact Shaheen Ladhani at shaheen@rice.edu for information.
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