Nick Bollettieri, historic US tennis coach and founder of the "Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy" which today employs 650 people, has died at the age of 91.

Many great champions who grew up with him reaching the top of the ATP and WTA world rankings.

Among these Agassi, Becker, Courier, Sampras and Rios among men. Capriati, Seles, Jankovic, Hingis, Sharapova and the sisters Venus and Serena Williams among the women.

In mid-November, his daughter Angelique Anne wrote on social media: «Dad is close to moving to another place. Please keep it in your thoughts for a peaceful departure and a wonderful journey. We love you dad."

Talent is not enough, the young tennis player must strengthen his mind and body , these are the foundations of his teaching. His training methods were not exactly conventional, but in the end tennis went in the direction he had foreseen: a sport in which physical power has become increasingly important, even at the expense of pure class .

The most famous link is that with Agassi , who arrived at the Academy at the age of 14. He will leave after 9 years "drained", as the tennis player recounted in his famous autobiography. A difficult relationship between the rebellious genius and the coach who does not tolerate mischief, who did well for Agassi, who later established himself as one of the greatest tennis players of the 90s.

(Unioneonline/L)

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