The IMG Academy released a statement announcing the passing of legendary tennis coach Nick Bollettieri, who assisted in the growth of superstars like Andre Agassi and Maria Sharapova. Bollettieri was 91 years old.
His methods were sometimes criticized, but his Florida academy produced top players and he was to coach ten players who would go on to become world number one.
His Bradenton complex was also visited by Mary Pierce, Jim Courier, Anna Kournikova, and Monica Seles.
Additionally, Bollettieri provided Venus, Serena, and Boris Becker with advice.
In 1978, Bollettieri established the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy, which is now known as IMG Academy. The academy places an emphasis on intense physical training, total immersion, and ongoing competition with the world’s best players.
His enthusiasm for coaching lasted nearly until the very end.
His children and wife, Cindi, are in our thoughts and prayers. We are all forever changed by what he has done for us. A moving tribute to the Korean War veteran was posted by Tommy Haas, the world number two and four-time semi-finalist at the Grand Slam.
Nickiiii, I’ve always called you that way, Nickiiii. I am grateful to you for your time, knowledge, dedication, expertise, willingness to share your knowledge, personal interest in mentoring me, and opportunity to pursue my goals.
“You were truly one of a kind, a dreamer and a doer, and a pioneer in our sport.”
Carlos Alcaraz, the world number one, has finished a breakthrough year by becoming the ATP season’s highest-earning player.
The 19-year-old beat out 21-time grand slam singles champion Novak Djokovic (A$14.8 million) and his Spanish compatriot Rafael Nadal (A$14 million) to earn more than A$15 million this season.
Alcaraz broke the previous record set by the and Australia.
Lleyton Hewitt by winning the 2022 US Open, making him the youngest world number one in ATP rankings history and becoming
Alcaraz became the first player other than Nadal, Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Andy Murray to end the year as world number one, surpassing the long-serving American Andy Roddick in 2003.
Alcaraz, who finished the 2021 season ranked 32 in the world, an any experienced an extraordinary rise in the rankings as a result.
Nadal and Alcaraz become the first countrymen since Americans Pete Sampras and Michael Chang in 1996 to finish the year in the top two spots.
Djokovic was world number one for 20 weeks this season, but he didn’t get vaccinated against Covivirus-19, so he missed several events.
Also, his success at Wimbledon was not reflected in that frame of mind, with the ATP and WTA pronouncing it wouldn’t grant positioning focuses given the All-Britain Club restricted Russian and Belarusian players from contending in the occasion in the midst of the continuous conflict in Ukraine.
Alcaraz has plenty of opportunities to increase his point total in 2023 despite being the world number one. His best results at the Australian Open and Wimbledon were in the third and fourth rounds, respectively.