{{short description|South African tennis player}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}} {{EngvarB|date=October 2017}} {{Infobox tennis biography | name = Damien Roberts | image = | fullname = Damien Roberts | country_represented = {{RSA}} | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1978|1|26}} | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | plays = | careerprizemoney = $56,811 | singlesrecord = 0–0 | singlestitles = | highestsinglesranking = No. 273 (2 August 1999) | currentsinglesranking = | AustralianOpenresult = Q1 (1999) | FrenchOpenresult = | Wimbledonresult = Q1 (1998, 1999) | USOpenresult = Q1 (1998, 1999) | doublesrecord = 0–2 | doublestitles = | highestdoublesranking = No. 152 (18 September 2000) | currentdoublesranking = | AustralianOpenDoublesresult = | FrenchOpenDoublesresult = | WimbledonDoublesresult = 1R (1999) | USOpenDoublesresult = Q1 (1998) }} '''Damien Roberts''' (born 26 January 1978) is a South African former professional tennis player.

==Biography== Roberts went to Kearsney College until 1994, when he moved to the United States to train at the John Newcombe Tennis Academy in Texas.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kearsney.com/oldboys/?page_id=10016|title=Notable Alumni|publisher=kearsney.com|accessdate=12 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160917182940/http://www.kearsney.com/oldboys/?page_id=10016|archive-date=17 September 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=Braunfels>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/14279405/|title=Wimbledon on the Horizon|date=9 June 1995|work=New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung|page=5|accessdate=12 February 2016}}</ref> He attended New Braunfels High School.<ref name=Braunfels/>

As a junior, he was ranked as high as 11 in the world in doubles and was a finalist in the 1996 Wimbledon Championships with countryman Wesley Whitehouse.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.itftennis.com/juniors/players/player/profile.aspx?playerid=10014795|title=ITF Tennis – Juniors – Player Profile – Roberts, Damien (RSA)|publisher=International Tennis Federation|accessdate=12 February 2016}}</ref>

From 1996 to 2001, Roberts competed professionally on the international tennis circuit, mostly in ATP Challenger tournaments. He won a total of five Challenger titles during his career, all in doubles.

Most notably he competed in the main draw of the 1999 Wimbledon Championships. He was eliminated in the opening round of qualifying in the singles and only narrowly missed qualification in the men's doubles, he and partner Amir Hadad lost the final qualifier in five sets.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.itftennis.com/procircuit/tournaments/men's-tournament/info.aspx?tournamentid=1010004497|title=ITF Tennis – Pro Circuit – Wimbledon – 21 June – 04 July 1999|publisher=International Tennis Federation|accessdate=12 February 2016}}</ref> However the pair received a lucky loser entry into the main draw, where they lost in the first round to South Africans David Adams and John-Laffnie de Jager.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1999-06-24/sports/9906240156_1_2nd-round-1st-round-kim-clijsters|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160216051234/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1999-06-24/sports/9906240156_1_2nd-round-1st-round-kim-clijsters|url-status=dead|archive-date=16 February 2016|title=Highlights|last=Bricker|first=Charles|date=24 June 1999|work=Sun-Sentinel|accessdate=12 February 2016}}</ref>

He appeared in the main draw of one ATP Tour event, the doubles at the 2001 Mercedes Cup in Stuttgart. Partnering Marcus Hilpert, they lost to Julian Knowle and Lorenzo Manta in the first round.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.itftennis.com/procircuit/tournaments/men's-tournament/info.aspx?tournamentid=1100001522|title=ITF Tennis – Pro Circuit – Stuttgart Outdoor – 16 July – 22 July 2001|publisher=International Tennis Federation|accessdate=12 February 2016}}</ref>

For many years after retiring he worked at the Lawn Tennis Association in England as the head of physical training and a national tennis coach.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/lifestyle/wellbeing/diet/3319383/Getting-into-the-fitness-racket.html|title=Getting into the fitness racket|last=Gordon|first=Bryony|date=6 June 2005|work=The Daily Telegraph|accessdate=12 February 2016}}</ref> Due to his role with the Great Britain Fed Cup team and as national women's coach, he was also involved the development of Laura Robson and Heather Watson.<ref name=Morningsidetennis>{{cite web|url=http://www.morningsidetennis.com.au/tennis-coaching/performance-squad-coaching/|title=Tennis Gear Squad Coaching|publisher=Morningside Tennis Centre Brisbane|accessdate=12 February 2016}}</ref> He is now the Director of Performance Tennis at TennisGear in Brisbane, Australia.<ref name=Morningsidetennis/>

==Challenger titles== ===Doubles: (5)=== {|class="sortable wikitable" style=font-size:97% !width=40|No. !width=50|Year !width=200|Tournament !width=60|Surface !width=160|Partner !width=200|Opponents !width=160|Score |- |1. |1998 |Gramado, Brazil |Hard |{{flagicon|RSA}} Jeff Coetzee |{{flagicon|BRA}} Francisco Costa<br />{{flagicon|JPN}} Gouichi Motomura |7–5, 6–3 |- |2. |1999 |Singapore |Hard |{{flagicon|RSA}} Jeff Coetzee |{{flagicon|UZB}} Oleg Ogorodov<br />{{flagicon|ISR}} Eyal Ran |7–5, 6–3 |- |3. |2000 |Bristol, Great Britain |Grass |{{flagicon|AUS}} Jordan Kerr |{{flagicon|ISR}} Noam Behr<br />{{flagicon|ISR}} Eyal Erlich |6–3, 1–6, 6–3 |- |4. |2000 |Bressanone, Italy |Clay |{{flagicon|AUS}} Jordan Kerr |{{flagicon|ARG}} Diego del Río<br />{{flagicon|ARG}} Marcelo Charpentier |7–6<small>3</small>, 7–5 |- |5. |2000 |Manerbio, Italy |Clay |{{flagicon|AUS}} Jordan Kerr |{{flagicon|POR}} Bernardo Mota<br />{{flagicon|SVK}} Ladislav Švarc |7–6<small>1</small>, 6–4 |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{ATP|r370}} * {{ITF profile}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Roberts, Damien}} Category:1978 births Category:Living people Category:South African male tennis players Category:Tennis players from Durban Category:Sportspeople from New Braunfels, Texas Category:New Braunfels High School alumni Category:South African tennis coaches Category:South African expatriates in Australia Category:African Games bronze medalists in tennis Category:African Games bronze medalists for South Africa Category:Tennis players at the 1995 All-Africa Games Category:Alumni of Kearsney College