Nick Bollettieri: Former players pay tribute after 'pioneer' tennis coach dies aged 91

2 years ago 55

The mould-breaking and hugely charismatic tennis manager Nick Bollettieri has died aged 91.

The New Yorker guided 10 satellite fig 1 singles players, including Andre Agassi, Maria Sharapova, Monica Seles and Boris Becker.

Bollettieri archetypal established his eponymous academy successful 1978, and earlier agelong students were surviving and grooming full-time successful Bradenton, Florida.

With his heavy tan and wrap-around sunglasses, Bollettieri worked his pupils highly hard, and changed the look of tennis coaching.

"You were a dreamer and a doer, and a pioneer successful our athletics - genuinely 1 of a kind," erstwhile satellite fig 2 Tommy Haas said successful a tribute.

Sabine Lisicki - runner-up astatine Wimbledon successful 2013 - said Bollettieri "shaped the crippled of tennis".

"You person fixed truthful galore children a spot to enactment for their dream," she added.

"Supporting them with your cognition and the content that thing is possible."

Bollettieri was ne'er an elite player. He started offering tennis lessons soon aft his merchandise from the US Army's 187th Airborne Division successful 1957.

It was to his academy that Sharapova's begetter archetypal turned, erstwhile his girl arrived successful the US aged six. Initially excessively young to board, the Russian aboriginal described it arsenic a "tennis prison". The regular and repetition fashioned galore champions, adjacent if Sharapova felt determination was not capable enactment connected the method aspects of the game.

Agassi utilized akin connection successful his autobiography, referring to his chap students arsenic "inmates." He was different who did not bask his tennis education. The American rebelled often against the system, and has recalled Bollettieri's choler aft helium played a last successful jeans, constitution and earrings.

But the concern endured. As a travelling coach, Bollettieri is astir intimately associated with Agassi, and the 1992 Wimbledon Championships. Agassi won his archetypal Grand Slam connected Centre Court, with Bollettieri wiping distant tears successful the players' box.

The Williams sisters, Jim Courier and Martina Hingis are among the different large champions to person benefitted from Bollettieri's experience, and existent manager of the IMG Academy - the modern iteration of Bollettieri's academy - Jimmy Arias said: "Tennis wouldn't beryllium wherever it is contiguous without Nick's influence."

He had an bonzer presence. 'Holy mackerel!' was his catchphrase; tennis was his life.

Bollettieri was a earthy connected camera and we ever looked guardant to his appearances successful the BBC Radio commentary container astatine Wimbledon successful much caller years.

With a winning smile, and a fantastic crook of phrase, helium brought the connection and glamour of New York City to Centre Court.