One of the most recognizable names in tennis history, Jimmy Arias returns for his second season with the Bulls after helping USF win it’s fourth-consecutive American Athletic Conference championship in 2017.
Arias became a legend of the game thanks to an illustrious professional career that began in 1980 as a 16-year old under the tutelage of legendary coach Nick Bollettieri at the newly-founded Bolletitieri Academy. As the teenaged Arias climbed the world rankings, his name and the Bollettieri brand both grew to worldwide prominence. Arias reached a high of No. 5 in the world in 1984. While still in his teens, he reached the US Open semifinals, earned a Grand Slam title when he partnered with Andrea Jaeger for the 1981 French Open mixed doubles event and won four additional singles titles in top-tier events.
By the time he retired in 1994, Arias had a career record of 286-223 and earned nearly $2,000,000 in prize money.
Arias stayed involved with tennis as a private coach and commentator for the Tennis Channel and ESPN International as well as serving as an analyst for NBC Sports’ coverage of the 2008 Summer Olympics tennis event. In Canada, he has worked as an analyst for
Rogers Sportsnet and the
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation on the broadcasts of the
Rogers Cup. He still provides analysis for the Tennis Channel as well as select collegiate events.
Last season, Arias was instrumental in helping Sasha Gozun reach No. 48 on the ITA rankings list as well as getting both Gozun and Justin Roberts to avenge prior losses to opponents from rival UCF in the conference finals. Roberts’ win clinched the conference title for USF.
Arias resides in Sarasota with his wife Gina. They have two adult children and their son, Spencer, played college tennis at UNCW.
