I was born in 1970 in Arad, Romania but grew up speaking Hungarian with my family. When I was just 3, my parents and Holocaust surviving grandparents immigrated to Israel. I started playing tennis at the age of 8 in a small club in Netanya. I was talented and loved the sport. In 1980, I joined the national team at the Tennis Center in Ramat Hasharon, Tel Aviv. I trained hard every day, my dream was to turn professional.
In 1988, I reached #2 singles and #1 doubles B18 in Israel. Soon after, I reached a career high of #7 men’s singles and #9 men’s doubles in Israel. I represented Israel in many international championships.
During 1988- 1991, I completed 3 years of mandatory military service in the military police division. Due to my success as a junior player, I was fortunate to receive a sports exemption, which allowed me to continue to train daily and compete regularly.
My parents did not have the means to pay for my travels, so I signed a contract with the German professional league in the spring of 1992 to play in Germany for 5 years. During that time, I won all but one singles and all my doubles matches. I turned pro and started competing. I played in satellite and challenger tournaments all over Europe and in Mexico. I reached a career high of 1096 ATP singles and 674 doubles. https://www.atptour.com/en/players/robby-budachek/b490/overview
Not having enough funds to continue travelling, in 1996 I made the difficult decision to stop competing. I chose to coach because I wanted to continue being involved in the sport and share my knowledge and experience with the younger generation. I became the Head Coach at the Jerusalem Tennis Center and after one year joined Gilad Bloom as the Co-Head Coach at Ramat Hasharon (Tel Aviv), the main tennis center in Israel. Within a year, I received Israel's Coach of the Year award. I worked with Israel's top-ranked ITF, WTA and ATP players and travelled with them to ITF tournaments in Europe, the U.S. and in Canada, including the Les Petits As, Eddie Herr and Orange Bowl. In 1998, I became the Head Pro of the Israel Tennis Association's excellence academy at the Wingate Institute of Physical Fitness. During my coaching career in Israel, I also represented the country in many international fund-raising events in the U.S. I also continued competing in the Israeli national championships and reached the QF for 2 years in a row.
In 1999, I married my wife in her native Czech Republic and in early 2000 we moved to the U.S. where I joined the Herrmann Tennis Academy in Northbrook, Illinois as a Co-Director and head coach. In March 2008, I became the Director of the High- Performance program at College Park Athletic Club in Deerfield, Illinois where I have been teaching some of the best juniors in the Midwest since. My focus lately has also been my 14- year-old daughter Sophia who is a highly ranked national USTA player and recently started competing on the ITF tour. I am extremely proud of her and her twin sister Alicia's hard work and dedication each and every day. Alicia is a competitive swimmer, trains with NASA Wildcats at Northwestern University, has already reached several national swim meets, and dreams to swim at the Olympics.
Over my coaching career, I have worked with hundreds of nationally and internationally ranked junior players, college players and pro players. Some of them include Josh Cohen (USA) 1319 ATP singles and 1232 doubles, Julia Cohen (USA) 97 WTA singles and 121 doubles, Brendan Evans (USA) 117 ATP singles and 119 doubles, Dudi Sela (ISR) 29 ATP singles and 122 doubles, Ishay Hadash (ISR) 496 ATP singles and 601 doubles, Amit Inbar (ISR) 561 ATP singles and 607 doubles, Dori Sadovnik (ISR) 893 ATP singles and 1007 doubles, Matan Shitrit (ISR) 1456 ATP singles and 1240 doubles, Harel Srugo (ISR) 703 ATP singles and 460 doubles, Maor Zirkin (ISR) 1308 ATP singles and 911 doubles, Roy Sichel (ISR) 876 ATP singles and 1430 doubles, Moshe Levi (ISR) 1295 ATP, Wendy Fix (USA) 250 WTA singles and 163 doubles, Ryan Preston (USA) 1004 ATP singles and 1596 doubles, Chris Klingemann (USA) 517 ATP singles and 468 doubles, Tom Jomby (France) 313 ATP singles and 212 doubles, Ryan Heller (USA) 108 NCAA/Illinois State Champion 2002, Stephano Tsorotsiosis (21 in doubles NCAA), Aimee Tarun (USA) 1202 WTA singles and 788 doubles, Dennis Nevolo (USA) 345 ATP singles, 416 doubles.
In 1988, I reached #2 singles and #1 doubles B18 in Israel. Soon after, I reached a career high of #7 men’s singles and #9 men’s doubles in Israel. I represented Israel in many international championships.
During 1988- 1991, I completed 3 years of mandatory military service in the military police division. Due to my success as a junior player, I was fortunate to receive a sports exemption, which allowed me to continue to train daily and compete regularly.
My parents did not have the means to pay for my travels, so I signed a contract with the German professional league in the spring of 1992 to play in Germany for 5 years. During that time, I won all but one singles and all my doubles matches. I turned pro and started competing. I played in satellite and challenger tournaments all over Europe and in Mexico. I reached a career high of 1096 ATP singles and 674 doubles. https://www.atptour.com/en/players/robby-budachek/b490/overview
Not having enough funds to continue travelling, in 1996 I made the difficult decision to stop competing. I chose to coach because I wanted to continue being involved in the sport and share my knowledge and experience with the younger generation. I became the Head Coach at the Jerusalem Tennis Center and after one year joined Gilad Bloom as the Co-Head Coach at Ramat Hasharon (Tel Aviv), the main tennis center in Israel. Within a year, I received Israel's Coach of the Year award. I worked with Israel's top-ranked ITF, WTA and ATP players and travelled with them to ITF tournaments in Europe, the U.S. and in Canada, including the Les Petits As, Eddie Herr and Orange Bowl. In 1998, I became the Head Pro of the Israel Tennis Association's excellence academy at the Wingate Institute of Physical Fitness. During my coaching career in Israel, I also represented the country in many international fund-raising events in the U.S. I also continued competing in the Israeli national championships and reached the QF for 2 years in a row.
In 1999, I married my wife in her native Czech Republic and in early 2000 we moved to the U.S. where I joined the Herrmann Tennis Academy in Northbrook, Illinois as a Co-Director and head coach. In March 2008, I became the Director of the High- Performance program at College Park Athletic Club in Deerfield, Illinois where I have been teaching some of the best juniors in the Midwest since. My focus lately has also been my 14- year-old daughter Sophia who is a highly ranked national USTA player and recently started competing on the ITF tour. I am extremely proud of her and her twin sister Alicia's hard work and dedication each and every day. Alicia is a competitive swimmer, trains with NASA Wildcats at Northwestern University, has already reached several national swim meets, and dreams to swim at the Olympics.
Over my coaching career, I have worked with hundreds of nationally and internationally ranked junior players, college players and pro players. Some of them include Josh Cohen (USA) 1319 ATP singles and 1232 doubles, Julia Cohen (USA) 97 WTA singles and 121 doubles, Brendan Evans (USA) 117 ATP singles and 119 doubles, Dudi Sela (ISR) 29 ATP singles and 122 doubles, Ishay Hadash (ISR) 496 ATP singles and 601 doubles, Amit Inbar (ISR) 561 ATP singles and 607 doubles, Dori Sadovnik (ISR) 893 ATP singles and 1007 doubles, Matan Shitrit (ISR) 1456 ATP singles and 1240 doubles, Harel Srugo (ISR) 703 ATP singles and 460 doubles, Maor Zirkin (ISR) 1308 ATP singles and 911 doubles, Roy Sichel (ISR) 876 ATP singles and 1430 doubles, Moshe Levi (ISR) 1295 ATP, Wendy Fix (USA) 250 WTA singles and 163 doubles, Ryan Preston (USA) 1004 ATP singles and 1596 doubles, Chris Klingemann (USA) 517 ATP singles and 468 doubles, Tom Jomby (France) 313 ATP singles and 212 doubles, Ryan Heller (USA) 108 NCAA/Illinois State Champion 2002, Stephano Tsorotsiosis (21 in doubles NCAA), Aimee Tarun (USA) 1202 WTA singles and 788 doubles, Dennis Nevolo (USA) 345 ATP singles, 416 doubles.