Nick Bollettieri (left) and Lindsay Davenport
NEWPORT, US: Legendary coach Nick Bollettieri and former women’s world number one Lindsay Davenport were among five people named as new inductees to the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
The Americans will be joined by Dutch wheelchair tennis star Chantal Vandierendonck, long-time executive Jane Brown Grimes and British author and broadcaster John Barrett.
A ceremony will be conducted July 12 during the ATP Hall of Fame Championships at Newport, Rhode Island. The newcomers will join 235 people from 20 nations on the 60-year-old roll of honour.
Bollettieri, 82, has coached 10 players who would become world number ones, including Andre Agassi, Jim Courier, Monica Seles and Boris Becker. He has also worked with Maria Sharapova and Serena and Venus Williams and remains active in mentoring young talent, having more recently worked with Japanese star Kei Nishikori and American Ryan Harrison among others.
In 1978, Bollettieri founded his own boarding school and tennis academy, which has since evolved into a huge facility with offerings in eight sports and more than 900 year-round students.
“Through extraordinary coaching and his keen ability to inspire greatness, Bollettieri is the person we can all thank for helping create some of the sport’s greatest champions and therefore, most memorable moments,” Hall of Fame president Stan Smith said.AFP
