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Rebel Alum Robbye Poole Enjoying Life as Serena Williams’ New Hitting Partner
Sometimes it’s not what you know, but who you know. For Ole Miss men’s tennis All-American Robbye Poole, it was both. Working in Chicago as an elite pro for Score Tennis and Fitness, a phone call from a friend back in April changed his life.
Robbye Poole with Serena Williams at the Wimbledon Champions Dinner.
That friend on the other end of the phone call was ATP world No. 18 John Isner, who Poole knew from his junior and college tennis days. Poole lived with Isner after graduation while he was playing on the pro circuit, and Isner was beginning to climb up the ATP ranks.
When Serena Williams was looking for a new hitting partner, she asked Isner if he knew anyone who might be interested.
“Isner recommended me to Serena,” Poole said. “I lived with him after college while I was playing (on the pro circuit). Obviously I applied for the assistant’s job at Ole Miss, and he knew I wanted to still be around tennis, so he asked me if I would be interested. I told him I would, and the next thing you know, I was on a flight to meet her.”
Poole flew to California to meet the world No. 1 for the first time and admitted to being nervous.
“It was pretty nerve-racking,” Poole said. “I met her at UCLA at the courts and we hit for the first time. Even though I was kind of star-struck in the beginning, I had to realize I was there to do one job — hit the tennis ball like I know I can.”
Their first tournament working together also happened to be a big occasion for Williams. She was returning to Indian Wells for the first time in 14 years.
“I knew it was her first time playing Indian Wells in a long time, so I felt a lot of pressure to make sure I did everything perfectly,” Poole said. “I was really focused, because I didn’t want to miss at all. She helped me out and was great during the tournament.”
Following Indian Wells, Williams won the Miami Open and then headed over to Europe for the clay court season. She played two warmup tournaments before the French Open, reaching the semifinals at Madrid.
Four times during the French Open, Williams lost the first set, and each time she came back to win the match on her way to capturing her 20th grand slam.
“It was amazing to witness,” Poole said. “It was a stage I will never be able to duplicate with anybody else. She is such a champion. She is on a different level. She always finds a way, she never quits and she never feels like she is out of it. Every time we thought she was down and out, she came back and found a way to win against great players. I am working with one of the best tennis players of all time, men and women.”
Williams duplicated her French Open feat by winning her sixth Wimbledon title this past weekend and achieved her second “Serena Slam”, as she now holds all four grand slam titles at one time. The talk will now shift to New York and a chance for Williams to capture the calendar slam with a U.S. Open title.
“We just take it one match at a time,” Poole said. “I don’t think she even thinks about that, she just goes in and plays each opponent and hopes that she does her best. We are still a long way from that.”
Poole never envisioned himself in this position as a kid playing tennis.
“When I was growing up I was hoping it was going to be me one day [playing professional tennis]. After playing tennis in college my biggest dream was to become a college coach, but I guess you can say another job came open and now I am hitting with one of the greatest players ever. This is my wildest dream. Imagine looking up and seeing yourself sitting in the box at Wimbledon and you are just like wow I was watching this on TV a year ago now I am actually here.”
Poole lives in Palm Beach, Florida where Williams has a house and a condo. He stays in the condo and travels to all the tournaments she plays. In fact, he said Williams has basically adopted him as part of her family.
As for how long he’ll be working with Williams, Poole says he’s under contract and hopes to stay with her until she retires.
Story By Kim Ling, Associate Athletics Media Relations Director
Story and photo courtesy Ole Miss Sports
| Sat, Aug 31 |  | vs Furman | W, 76-0 |
| Sat, Sep 7 |  | vs Middle Tennessee | W, 52-3 |
| Sat, Sep 14 |  | @ Wake Forest | W, 40-6 |
| Sat, Sep 21 |  | vs Georgia Southern | W, 52-13 |
| Sat, Sep 28 |  | vs Kentucky | L, 20-17 |
| Sat, Oct 5 |  | @ South Carolina | W, 27-3 |
| Sat, Oct 12 |  | vs LSU | L, 29-26 (2 OT) |
| Sat, Oct 26 |  | vs Oklahoma | W, 26-14 |
| Sat, Nov 2 |  | @ Arkansas | W, 63-35 |
| Sat, Nov 16 |  | vs Georgia | W, 28-10 |
| Sat, Nov 23 |  | @ Florida | L, 24-17 |
| Sat, Nov 30 |  | vs Mississippi State | W, 26-14 |
| Thu, Jan 2 |  | vs Duke (Gator Bowl) | W, 52-20 |
| Mon, Nov 4 |  | vs Long Island University | W, 90-60 |
| Fri, Nov 8 |  | vs Grambling | W, 66-64 |
| Tue, Nov 12 |  | vs South Alabama | W, 64-54 |
| Sat, Nov 16 |  | vs Colorado State | W, 84-69 |
| Thu, Nov 21 |  | vs Oral Roberts | L, 100-68 |
| Thu, Nov 28 |  | vs BYU | W, 96-85 OT |
| Fri, Nov 29 |  | vs 13 Purdue | L, 80-78 |
| Tue, Dec 3 |  | @ Louisville | W, 86-63 |
| Sat, Dec 7 |  | vs Lindenwood | W, 86-53 |
| Sat, Dec 14 |  | vs Southern Miss | W, 77-46 |
| Tue, Dec 17 |  | vs Southern | W, 74-61 |
| Sat, Dec 21 |  | vs Queens University | W, 80-62 |
| Sat, Dec 28 |  | @ Memphis | L, 87-70 |
| Sat, Jan 4 |  | vs Georgia | 11:00 AM SECN |
| Wed, Jan 8 |  | @ 23 Arkansas | 6:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Jan 11 |  | vs LSU | 5:00 PM SECN |
| Tue, Jan 14 |  | @ 5 Alabama | 6:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Jan 18 |  | @ 17 Mississippi State | 5:00 PM TBA |
| Wed, Jan 22 |  | vs 13 Texas A&M | 8:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Jan 25 |  | @ Missouri | 5:00 PM SECN |
| Wed, Jan 29 |  | vs Texas | 8:00 PM ESPN2 |
| Sat, Feb 1 |  | vs 2 Auburn | 3:00 PM TBA |
| Tue, Feb 4 |  | vs 10 Kentucky | 6:00 PM ESPN |
| Sat, Feb 8 | | @ LSU | 7:30 PM SECN |
| Wed, Feb 12 |  | @ South Carolina | 6:00 PM SECN |
| Sat, Feb 15 | | vs 17 Mississippi State | 5:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Feb 22 |  | @ Vanderbilt | 2:30 PM SECN |
| Wed, Feb 26 | | @ 2 Auburn | 6:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Mar 1 |  | vs 12 Oklahoma | 1:00 PM TBA |
| Wed, Mar 5 |  | vs 1 Tennessee | 8:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Mar 8 |  | @ 6 Florida | 5:00 PM SECN |
T. Franks
July 21, 2015 at 7:39 am
Hope this partnership is beneficial for both and lasts a long time. Go Serena!
RICKY PAINE
August 12, 2015 at 6:40 pm
CONGRATS TO ROBBYE BECOMING SERENA’S NEW HITTING PARTNER.YOU ARE WORKING THE WORLD’S BEST FEMALE TENNIS PLAYER EVER! WORKING WITH SERENA MUST TRULY BE AN HONOR! GOD BLESS!
CLYDE W WINT
January 26, 2016 at 8:42 pm
ROBBYE,
I CELEBRATE YOU AND SERENA. I BECAME A TENNIS FAN BECAUSE OF HER PROWESS, INTEGRITY, AND GRACE ON WHICH SHE HONES HER CRAFT. WHEN THE HISTORY BOOKS HAVE BEEN WRITTEN; YOU WOULD BE FOREVER CEMENTED WITH THE BEST TENNIS PLAYER IN THE UNIVERSE.
FROM PLUTO TO URANUS, THE CELESTIAL STARS WILL PAY HOMAGE TO HER GIFTS, AND THE FIDELITYAND HONOR IN WHICH SHE PLAYED THE GAME OF TENNIS.
I AM EXTREMELY PROUD OF YOU BOTH FOR BEING AND REPRESENTING THE BLACK RACE AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL UNCOMPROMISINGLY AND WITH EXCELLENCE.
MINISTER CLYDE WINT.
Crystal B
March 20, 2016 at 1:44 pm
I consider myself to be the biggest fan the Williams sisters can have. I just love them so much. I am watching Serena and Azarenka and I am nervous as if I’m playing. Come on Serena this is a must win. Congrats Robbye your experience as a tennis player has enhanced my girls’ game. God Bless one day I will be sitting in the same stadium with you all cheering instead of cheering from home.
Brandon sampract lll
May 21, 2016 at 8:15 pm
ROBBYE IM SO STUN U HAVE MADE IT YO COUSIN BRANDON SAMPRACT I LOVE U.BYE
TN Lounge
July 9, 2016 at 9:58 am
What a story. Proud of you Robbie. tnlounge.com
Andrea barnes
July 9, 2016 at 4:14 pm
Serena and Venus,
I am so proud of you. You are great role models, contrary to what others may think. I always look forward to watching you play in the Slams. Your father Richard created the greatest tennis dynasty in the open era. Through all your adversities you have prevailed, by exhibiting resilience, persistence, and perseveranc. Folks can say what they want, but until they have put in the work that you have done and accomplished what you have done then they have the floor to speak. You have been the face of U.S Tennis and have carried the mantle for soon long. Watching over the many years and witnessed how the tennis fraternity took time to accept that you were the real deal, now it’s evident of how you are the accepted. Throughout the years you carried yourselves with dignity, and adhering to the rules of the game. I wish you God’s continued blessings, and continued success. It will be a sad day when you leave this game, you keep it exciting, and you bring a big audience.
Andrea barnes
July 9, 2016 at 4:26 pm
Hello Serena,
Just wanted you to also know that I think your Wimbledon outfit was very classy, and I also like your hairdo
Dress was a great design. I think you have a great hitting partner, and I think your Coach is great for you. Continued success together. I also admire the relationship you and Venus have,
great sister love. Good luck in the upcoming olympics. Glad that you won Wimbledon, both singles and doubles. Clean sweep. What else can one of your greatest fans ask for. You two are the greatest.
Robbie congrats. to you very proud of you. I know my sister is very proud of you. the family here in Alexandra,La. was watching you all.from Aunt marie.
July 9, 2016 at 9:01 pm
Love always.