GEORGETOWN, Texas – Head Men's & Women's Tennis Coach Billy Porter announced the addition of Luka Belic to the coaching staff.
Belic, a native of Umag, Croatia, comes to Southwestern after working three years at Lost Creek Country Club in Austin. Prior to Lost Creek CC, Belic spent a year at the L'Academie de Tennis (LAT) in Boca Raton, Fla. Belic coached and traveled with top junior players, Tornado Ali Black (Junior US Open Finalist) while at LAT.
Belic is no stranger to the professional courts reaching 620th in singles on May 18, 2009. Belic faced off with eventual world number one Novak Djokovic in 2006 at the ATP Umag Tournament falling to Djokovic 3-6, 3-6.
As a junior, Belic was ranked fifth in the world in 2006 and ranked first in Croatia U18. In 2006, he competed in all four junior Grand Slam Tournaments reaching the singles quarterfinals at the Australian Open and Wimbledon, singles semi-finals at the US Open, and doubles semi-finals at the French Open at Roland Garros. Also in 2006, Belic was part of the Croatian National Team that was a European finalist. Belic teamed up with Djokovic in 2004 at the ATP Umag Tournament falling 1-6, 5-7 in the quarterfinals.
Belic won a pair of titles on his favorite surface, clay, in 2008 at the Bosnia-Herzegovina F2 Futures, singles, and the Italy F27 Futures, doubles with Marin Bradaric.
An injury forced Belic to retire from professional tennis in 2009 after which he turned his focus to coaching.
Belic resides in Austin.