Doha: Coaches associated with Qatar Tennis Federation (QTF) will have an expert on hand in tapping, and grooming young talent to be future champions.
Nicholas James Bollettieri, an American coach, better known to the tennis world as Nick Bollettieri was in Doha for the ongoing Qatar ExxonMobil Open at the invitation of QTF and if you go by his word, he will be interacting with the coaches of the association today.
“The Qatar tennis coaches will be meeting me on Saturday. I went around and saw the facilities on offer and how things have changed since the last time I was here. We are planning something with the future in mind,” said the 86-year-old, who oversaw the development of many leading players, including Andre Agassi, Jim Courier, Monica Seles, and Mary Pierce.
Bollettieri said he met a few coaches yesterday but it will be a longer meet with them today.
“I will be having a one and half hour meet with the coaches,” added the veteran coach, who has been into coaching since 1957.
The living legend of coaching said he would have loved to coach former World N0.1 Roger Federer.
“To me, the one I would have loved to coach is Roger Federer. Why? He’s a champion in everything that he does. There are only a few people in life who are champions in everything they do. When I got into the
International Hall of Fame, he and Pete Sampras wrote beautiful letters to me about why I should get in,” Nick said about the Swiss great.
“If the world was like Roger, you wouldn’t have any violence, you wouldn’t have any wars. You would have only peace. He is a credit to everything he does,” he added.
And his advice to aspiring champions.
“If you have to be the best, you must try to win everything every day. That’s the penalty of being the best. That’s why I’m still the best!,” he said as a passing shot.
