Sharapova pays touching tribute to late former coach

Nick Bollettieri died aged 91 in Florida last week

Five-time Grand Slam winner Maria Sharapova has paid tribute to a former coach, Nick Bollettieri, who passed away aged 91 in Florida at the weekend.

Bollettieri had suffered from ill health in recent years but left a legacy as only the fourth Hall of Fame coach who produced at least 10 players that reached world number one status.

Sharapova was one of them and took to Twitter to pay her respects to Bollettieri, whose death was confirmed by his manager Steve Shulla to the Associated Press.

Sharing a picture of herself with Bollettieri, whose IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, she joined as a seven-year-old after moving from Russia, Sharapova recalled: “You turned on the gymnasium lights at 5AM with the brightest (& whitest!) smile.

“You opened the door to your home, the grounds on which you gave us the freedom to pour our hearts and sweat on.