‘Scoreboard Never Dictated Your Commitment’ – Maria Sharapova’s Glorifying Tribute to Her Childhoood Coach Will Leave You in Tears

There are countless torchbearers in different fields and that is who Nick Bollettieri was to the tennis realm. He was a coach who changed the course of the sport. The loss of a legendary coach does hurt the players more than the fans, and that was evident in the message of Maria Sharapova. The former world no.1 shared a heartfelt tribute to the coach and hailed him for not only his revolutionary contribution to tennis but also his overall personality.

According to his former students, he was a great coach who knew how to push his players to make them realize their dreams. Obviously, it was a hard task, but he certainly succeeded in it.

Maria Sharapova bids farewell to her former coach, Nick Bollettieri

Former Russian player Maria Sharapova worked with the late Bollettieri, who guided her during her formative years in tennis. She paid a heartfelt tribute to the legendary coach after the news of his demise went viral on the internet. She complimented his contribution to the sport. However, that was not the only thing she was grateful for. Sharapova also praised his dedication and how he would push himself along with his players so that the whole partnership becomes cohesive. She stated, “You turned on the gymnasium lights at 5 am with the brightest (&whitest!) smile.”

She further stated, “You opened the door to your home, the grounds on which you gave us the freedom to pour our hearts and sweat on. The scoreboard never dictated your commitment to show up for us. Boy is that rare!” 

READ MORE: ‘Check Her Blood Pressure’ – Russian Tennis Legend Maria Sharapova Once Lashed Out Mid-Match Owing to Opponent’s Bizarre Antics

Furthermore, she also stated, “I am a lucky girl to have shared so many remarkable moments with you. Thank you for everything, Nick!!”

The former ATP world no.1 Andre Agassi too paid his tribute to his coach. He thanked him for making people realize their dreams. Besides that, Czech-American tennis legend Martina Navratilova sent her heartfelt tribute to the coach, along with a plethora of renowned names in the tennis world.

Nick Bollettieri: a void that is affecting the tennis realm

Losing a star-studded personality like Bollettieri has affected many, especially in the tennis real. Those who worked with him were affected the most. American teenage sensation Coco Gauff shared an adorable picture of her with the coach. She stated that he had come to watch her play at her first Grand Slam tournament.

WATCH THIS STORY: Chris Evert says tennis players like Maria Sharapova and Eugenie Bouchard will always get attention because they are good looking

Although he never played tennis professionally, he wrote down his name in the International Tennis Hall of Fame. He was a major ‘contributor’ to the sport through the countless number of stars he helped to make it at the biggest stage. He was the pioneer of setting up the idea of making residential schools for tennis players. This inculcated a new and more productive trend in the sport. In the 1980s he started his academy and worked with several legendary players.

Apart from Sharapova and Agassi, can you name the other prominent stars coached by the late legendary coach?