Two freshmen earn singles wins and Boyajian clinches match at #2.
University of North Carolina alumnus Tripp Phillips joined the Tar Heel men's tennis coaching staff in 2006. In his six years as an assistant coach the former professional player has made a huge impact on the UNC tennis program.
Phillips has been an assistant for five full seasons, in which the Tar Heels have compiled a 96-36 overall record, won 38 ACC regular season matches and made five NCAA Tournament appearances. The Tar Heels have won at least one NCAA Tournament match every year he has been on the staff and in 2008 advanced to the Round of 16.
After graduating from Carolina in 2000, Phillips began a highly successful professional career in 2001. The talented right-hander achieved a career high Association of Tennis Professionals' (ATP) doubles ranking of 29th on October 6, 2006. In singles, reached his high point as the 343rd-ranked player in the world on May 19, 2003.
Phillips was coached as a professional by both UNC head coach Sam Paul and Charlotte Country Day varsity tennis coach Calvin Davis. While he enjoyed success as a singles player, notching victories against players such as Michael Chang, Harold Levey and Oscar Hernandez, Phillips ultimately decided to focus his efforts on doubles and the results he achieved in those events gave him a better opportunity to play in the world's biggest and most respected tournaments.
Phillips had perhaps his most successful year as a doubles player in 2006 when he paired with Australia's Ashley Fisher. The pair reached the semifinals of the 2006 U.S. Open, a run that was highlighted by wins against Andy Murray as well as two of the top 10 doubles teams in the world. Phillips and Fisher also won the doubles championship at the 2006 ATP event hosted in Tokyo.
In 2007, Phillips continued his success as an established doubles player, earning seeds in three of the four Grand Slam tournaments and reaching the round of 16 in the U.S. Open. In 2008, he qualified for Wimbledon, and also won the ATP event hosted in Indianapolis.
The background to Phillips' successful career on the ATP tour was an outstanding college career from 1996 to 2000 as a member of the tennis team at the University of North Carolina. He was a tireless and intense competitor and valued team leader on Coach Paul's teams near the end of that decade.
Phillips returned as a fifth-year senior season in 2000 after taking a medical redshirt, and earned All-America honors after posting a stellar 25-6 singles record at the top singles flight. During that season, he defeated top-ranked Daniel Anderson and third-ranked Shuon Madden, helping the Tar Heels to a second-place ACC finish and a No. 16 national ranking. Phillips dominated the conference at number one singles, posting a 12-2 record in ACC play. After the team competition in 2000 was over, he advanced to the quarterfinals of the individual portion of the NCAA Championships in singles, earning a No. 12 national Intercollegiate Tennis Association ranking to finish the season.
The University of North Carolina honored Phillips' career and character with the prestigious Patterson Medal, given annually to the school's top male and female outstanding senior athletes. When he won it he was the first UNC tennis player to receive the award since Vic Seixas in 1950. He also captured the John Van Nostrand Memorial Award given by the ITA, given annually to an outstanding senior men's player who plans to pursue a professional tennis career upon graduation.
Phillips was born in Newport News, Va., on August 26, 1977. He grew up in Charlotte, N.C., and maintains his permanent residence in Chapel Hill, N.C. Phillips married Laura Zuger on November 4, 2006. Tripp and Laura are the proud parents of two sons. The couple's first child, Owen T. Phillips IV, was born November 1, 2009. James Zuger Phillips entered the world on December 12, 2011.
Education:
• University of North Carolina (2000)
College Coaching:
• University of North Carolina, Assistant Men's Tennis Coach 2006-present
Career Highlights:
• 2000 All-America and NCAA Singles Quarterfinalist
• 2003 Forest Hills Singles Semifinalist with wins against Michael Chang (ATP career high: #2), Harold Levey (ATP career high: #30), and Oscar Hernandez (ATP career high: #48)
• Quarterfinalist or better at 13 ATP Tour events in 2006-07
• Won the 2006 ATP Tour event in Tokyo, Japan ($765,000 purse) while assistant coach at UNC
• 2006 U.S. Open Semifinalist in doubles
• Seeded at three of four 2007 Grand Slam events in doubles
• Reached 2007 U.S. Open round of 16 in doubles
• Won first tournament of 2008 U.S. Open Series in Indianapolis
• Played at 2008 Wimbledon in doubles
• 2006-08 doubles wins include: Andy Murray, Janko Tipsarevic, Gilles Simon, Marcos Baghdatis, Tommy Haas, Fernando Gonzales, Fabrice Santoro, Nicolas Massu, Vince Spadea, Benjamin Becker, Max Mirnyi, Jarkko Niemenen, Jurgen Melzer, Paradorn Srichaphan, Arnaud Clement, Paul Henri Matthieu
Recognition:
• 2000 Patterson Medal winner at UNC
