Men's Tennis
Kelly, Robert
Robert Kelly
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
Robert Kelly, one of Carolina's most decorated men's tennis players of the previous decade, returned to Chapel Hill to join head coach Sam Paul's coaching staff in July of 2023. He enters his third season on staff in 2025-26.
The three-time All-America and Chapel Hill native, who played at Carolina from 2015-18 and helped the Tar Heels win their first national title at the 2016 ITA Team Indoor National Championship, serves as an assistant coach alongside Paul and longtime associate head coach Tripp Phillips.
As a sophomore in 2016, Kelly teamed with Brett Clark to earn All-America honors in doubles. The two, who were ranked No. 1 at two separate points in the spring, finished fourth in the final rankings despite missing the NCAA Tournament due to injury. They were the first Tar Heels since 2006 to reach the No. 1 ranking in doubles. In 2017, Kelly teamed with William Blumberg to reach the NCAA doubles quarterfinals, again earning All-America honors. In Kelly's senior year, he again earned All-America doubles honors with Blumberg.
He became just the fourth player in program history to earn All-America honors in three separate seasons.
Kelly reached the finals of the ITA National Indoors doubles bracket with two different teammates (with Clark in 2016 and with Blumberg in 2018). A stellar student, he was an Academic All-ACC choice who served as a UNC team captain as a junior and senior.
During Kelly's career as a Tar Heel, Carolina finished in the top 11 of the final ITA team rankings all four years, including No. 6 in 2015, No. 3 in 2016, No. 5 in 2017 and No. 11 in 2018.
After graduation, he played on the professional tour and won a title at the Doubles ITF 15K in Claremont, Calif.
The three-time All-America and Chapel Hill native, who played at Carolina from 2015-18 and helped the Tar Heels win their first national title at the 2016 ITA Team Indoor National Championship, serves as an assistant coach alongside Paul and longtime associate head coach Tripp Phillips.
As a sophomore in 2016, Kelly teamed with Brett Clark to earn All-America honors in doubles. The two, who were ranked No. 1 at two separate points in the spring, finished fourth in the final rankings despite missing the NCAA Tournament due to injury. They were the first Tar Heels since 2006 to reach the No. 1 ranking in doubles. In 2017, Kelly teamed with William Blumberg to reach the NCAA doubles quarterfinals, again earning All-America honors. In Kelly's senior year, he again earned All-America doubles honors with Blumberg.
He became just the fourth player in program history to earn All-America honors in three separate seasons.
Kelly reached the finals of the ITA National Indoors doubles bracket with two different teammates (with Clark in 2016 and with Blumberg in 2018). A stellar student, he was an Academic All-ACC choice who served as a UNC team captain as a junior and senior.
During Kelly's career as a Tar Heel, Carolina finished in the top 11 of the final ITA team rankings all four years, including No. 6 in 2015, No. 3 in 2016, No. 5 in 2017 and No. 11 in 2018.
After graduation, he played on the professional tour and won a title at the Doubles ITF 15K in Claremont, Calif.
Carolina Insider - Interview with Henri Veesaar (Full Segment) - September 8, 2025
Monday, September 08
UNC Field Hockey: Carolina Holds Off Princeton, 3-2
Sunday, September 07
UNC Women's Soccer: Tar Heels Shut Out JMU, 3-0
Sunday, September 07
UNC Volleyball: Tar Heels Sweep Oral Roberts
Sunday, September 07
