TJ Pura - Assistant Coach - Men's Tennis Coaches

Upcoming Events

There are currently no upcoming events

TJ Pura

Title:
Assistant Coach
Email:
tj.pura@duke.edu

Former Blue Devil TJ Pura joined the Blue Devil coaching staff as the first assistant coach in May 2024.

He comes back to Durham after spending one season (2023-24) as the first assistant coach at Vanderbilt University. While in Nashville, Pura helped the Commodores to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2019 and mentored 2024 SEC Freshman of the Year and at-large NCAA Singles participant, Danil Panarin. Vanderbilt jumped from No. 72 in the national rankings the year before Pura arrived to a final 2024 ranking of No. 42. Additionally, Pura helped recruit nine players to the program and aided in execution of the Commodores' NIL strategy.

Pura was a member of the Duke program from 2013-17 and earned Third Team All-ACC honors in 2017. The two-time team captain graduated sixth in program history with 30 career ACC singles wins and tied for seventh in most career ACC singles matches played with 41. Pura also ended his career tied for first in single-season ACC singles wins (11) and singles winning percentage (1.000; 11-0) during his senior year. In addition, he compiled the longest single-season ACC winning streak in program history when he went 11-0 during a stretch in 2016-17.

For those efforts, Pura was named the 2017 Intercollegiate Tennis Association's Carolina Region Most Improved Senior and recipient of the team's first annual Robert C. Taylor Leadership Award.

Pura also found his way into Duke's record book his freshman year when he finished tied for first in highest ACC singles winning percentage as a rookie with a mark of 6-0 (1.000) and fourth in highest doubles winning percentage with a record of 12-2 (.857). During his Blue Devil tenure, Pura helped lead Duke to an overall record of 71-39 and three NCAA team championship appearances (2014-15-17), including a showing in the round of 16 in 2015. He owned one singles title (Winthrop Invitational - 2A, 2013) for his career and captured one doubles title (Duke Fab Four Invitational - White Bracket, 2013).

Pura graduated from Duke in 2017 with a degree in computer science and history with a certification in innovation and entrepreneurship. After graduation Pura became a professional tennis player on the ITF Futures Tour. Since retiring from the professional circuit, Pura spent three years in investment banking and corporate finance before recognizing that his true passion was coaching and peak performance. He has become a mentor and mental coach for numerous athletes, including Tommy Paul who is a top-15 ATP player.