`htmlNick Bollettieri, famed tennis coach who trained Serena Williams,Andre Agassi and Maria S

Nick Bollettieri, a renowned tennis coach responsible for training Serena and Venus Williams, Andre Agassi, and Maria Sharapova, passed away at the age of 91. The IMG Academy, of which Bollettieri was the founder, confirmed his death in a statement released on Monday, December 5.


Nick Bollettieri, famed tennis coach who trained Serena Williams,�Andre Agassi and Maria Sharapova dies aged 91

Nick Bollettieri, a renowned tennis coach responsible for training Serena and Venus Williams, Andre Agassi, and Maria Sharapova, passed away at the age of 91.

The IMG Academy, of which Bollettieri was the founder, confirmed his death in a statement released on Monday, December 5.

Tim Pernetti, president of IMG Academy Bradenton – a division of IMG Academy – expressed, “Anyone who knew Nick knows how much he loved developing the potential in young people, coaching tennis and this Academy. Even in his last days, you could often find him on campus, coaching and mentoring young student-athletes and staff with the same passion and enthusiasm as he did in his 20s. Our heart goes out to his wife, Cindi, and his children. He has made a permanent and lasting impact on all of us.” 

Nick Bollettieri, famed tennis coach who trained Serena Williams,�Andre Agassi and Maria Sharapova dies aged 91

Originally from Pelham, New York, Bollettieri ventured into tennis coaching to support himself while pursuing a law degree at the University of Miami. Previously, he had been a high school football quarterback and a military paratrooper.

In 1977, he established the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy, later known as the IMG Academy, after securing a $1 million loan from a friend to construct a live-in tennis academy for his students.

Nick Bollettieri, famed tennis coach who trained Serena Williams,�Andre Agassi and Maria Sharapova dies aged 91
 

Over his 30-year coaching career, Bollettieri became a highly sought-after instructor in the world of tennis due to the success of his players. The Academy has since expanded into other men’s and women’s sports, including baseball, football, and soccer.

Throughout his lifetime, Bollettieri coached multiple grand slam winners and 10 world No. 1 players, including Agassi, the Williams sisters, Sharapova, Boris Becker, Monica Seles, and Anna Kournikova before being inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2014.
 


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