Ruan Roelofse has discovered that being a tennis professional means a lot more than playing the popular sport.
It can mean being a coach or a teacher.
A mentor or a writer.
Or a budding entrepreneur in the business of tennis.
The 2021 graduate from Indiana University East fits nicely on that continuum of roles since he started and finished an online bachelor’s degree in business administration.
“I am very much invested in tennis,” he said.
The South Africa native retired from his playing career over two years ago and then made a new tennis investment by becoming the coach for popular young player Christopher Eubanks.
They soared to a career-high ATP Tour ranking of 29 on July 31, 2023, after Eubanks won his first title at Mallorca, an island of Spain, then advanced to the quarterfinals at his first Wimbledon.
“We had been friends (and doubles partners) for a while,” Roelofse said. “Out of nowhere, he asked if I would coach him. We had a two-year journey. “I never thought that was going to happen.”
The meteoric rise stalled, but Eubanks still has won more than $717,000 this year.
The two parted ways this month, but the friendship and positive memories remain.
“It’s an experience I will remember for a long time,” Roelofse said. “It’s a great memory for everyone, pretty special.”
IU East’s Tim Scales could immediately see a special connection between Roelofse and Eubanks.
“I met Chris in Lexington, Ky., when they were playing as doubles partners. It was clear to me they complemented each other,” Scales said. “Within a short time, it was great to watch as Ruan took his experience of athletics and academics to serve as Chris’ coach and strengthen his performances.”
Scales is the director of the Center for Entrepreneurship at IU East.
“Ruan always knew the value a coach could bring and it is no surprise to witness him demonstrating his leadership and organizational skills,” Scales said. “Ruan pays attention to detail and is a hard, dedicated worker.”
Roelofse hopes to leverage the successful experience with Eubanks into coaching another professional player for at least another two years.
Then, Roelofse aims to put his teaching, personal and online skills into a tennis-related entrepreneurial venture, such as opening a junior academy in Florida.
“Nothing is set in stone,” he said. “I am also open to the business side. That’s why I went to IU East.”
He already has designed a coaching website for junior players that should go online soon.
“Juniors or parents can record matches and then send them to me via a specific application,” he said.
He will analyze the play and then offer technical and physical feedback.
The web is a powerful teaching tool for tennis: “You can make a difference in lives thousands of miles away.”
Roelofse minored in entrepreneurship and authored a children’s book as he finished his academic work at IU East. Scales was co-author of “Learning with Ruan.”
“I really enjoyed doing that,” Roelofse said. “I definitely got a good business base at IU East. I learned a bit of marketing and finance – and a lot of other things you don’t learn in a sport.”
Roelofse will have help no matter his tennis and business ventures. His soon-to-be wife, Katie Poluta, is a tennis coach, a nutritionist and an online entrepreneur.
They plan to be married December 6 in Cape Town, South Africa, where they both grew up.
She is a coach for Team Anderson Tennis in Boynton Beach, Fla., after a stellar tennis career at the University of Texas. She helped the Longhorns win three Big 12 championships.
Poluta studied nutritional science at UT. She founded and runs a business called Ruusters Rusk.
A rusk is a cookie-type delicacy from South Africa, something like an Italian biscotti.
Roelofse said the couple will live in Florida.
“It’s the tennis mecca of the world,” he said. “You can play outside anytime of the year.”