DePaul University Athletics
MEN'S TENNIS
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
- rhua@depaul.edu
Hua Runhao 
joined the Blue Demons as a graduate assistant coach in August 2023. A native of Shanghai, China, Hua brings over 15 years of professional, collegiate, and junior tennis experience to Lincoln Park.
In his first year of collegiate coaching, Hua played an integral role in leading the DePaul men’s tennis team to its third BIG EAST Championship and NCAA Tournament berth in four seasons. As part of a coaching staff that included head coach Matt Brothers and volunteer instructional assistant Brian Livingston, Hua was recognized as a member of the 2024 BIG EAST Co-Coaching Staff of the Year.
Before transitioning to coaching, Hua retired from professional tennis in 2022, concluding a career that saw him achieve career-high rankings of No. 617 in ATP singles, No. 389 in ITF singles, and No. 269 in ATP doubles. During his professional tenure, he captured five ITF doubles titles, including victories at the M25 Qujing in 2019 and the M25 Santo Domingo in 2022, while also tallying 16 quarterfinal and semifinal appearances across ITF singles and doubles competitions.
Before turning professional, Hua excelled as a collegiate athlete at the University of Michigan, where he majored in Sport Management and was a four-year member of the Wolverines' men’s tennis team. His senior season (2017-18) was particularly noteworthy, as he was named an All-American, qualified for the NCAA Individual Championships in both singles and doubles, and earned First Team All-Big Ten honors.Â
Hua captured the 2017 ITA Midwest Regional Singles Championship title and finished as the runner-up for the doubles championship at the same event alongside Alex Knight. He achieved a national doubles ranking as high as No. 28 with Knight and a regional singles ranking of No. 16 by the ITA. Across his collegiate career, Hua amassed 75 singles victories, and 75 doubles wins, including a 23-6 doubles record during his junior season. As a sophomore, he led Michigan with a 7-1 Big Ten record and secured a key victory over No. 102 TJ Pura of Duke.
At the junior level, Hua reached a career-high ITF Junior World Ranking of No. 138 and earned three ITF Junior titles. He was ranked as high as No. 2 in Boys 18-and-under in China, further solidifying his status as one of the nation’s top young players. Beyond his competitive accomplishments, Hua had the unique experience of playing with and against tennis legends, including Roger Federer, adding a distinct depth of experience to his coaching expertise.
