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How did Nick Bollettieri die? Tennis legend who launched Serena Williams and Andre Agassi was 91

Nick Bollettieri had been battling health issues in recent years and reportedly died just two weeks after he denied rumors of his demise

BRADENTON, FLORIDA: Nick Bollettieri, who coached and launched the careers of several tennis greats, has died at the age of 91.

The popular American tennis coach had been battling health issues in recent years and reportedly died just two weeks after denying rumors of his demise on social media. Bollettieri was born in Pelham, New York, to immigrant Italian parents and went on to found the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy – now IMG Academy – in Florida. The facility eventually became the nation's top academy for professional tennis aspirants.

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According to The Sun, Bollettieri's stellar coaching career saw him guide at least 10 prodigies to top-seed status, having worked with the likes of Andre Agassi, Maria Sharapova, Serena and Venus Williams, Jim Courier, Monica Seles, Tommy Haas, Martina Hingis and Anna Kournikova.

Bollettieri was notably fit as a fiddle well into his 80s and was said to report at the gym every morning by 5 am. He penned several books on tennis and even worked as a TV pundit, albeit his personal life was rather tumultuous. The coaching legend was married on eight occasions, the last time to Cindi Eaton in April 2004. He was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in July 2014 for his services to the sport. Retired German star Haas, who reached No 2 in world rankings, shared a number of photos of the pair on Instagram in a moving tribute.

“So many memories, I am not sure where to begin," Haas, 44, wrote, adding, “Nickiiiii, that’s how I have called you for the longest time. Thank you for your time, knowledge, commitment, expertise, the willingness to share your skill, your personal interest in mentoring me, and for giving me the best opportunity to follow my dreams." He continued, “You were a dreamer and a doer, and a pioneer in our sport, truly one of a kind. I surely will miss you around the academy, our Tennis talks, miss showing off your tan, white teeth, and body fat, miss watching you do Tai Chi, miss playing golf with you watching you try to cheat, eating a Snickers bar, and running for the bushes, and hearing all about your plans even at the age of 91. Thanks again for everything. RIP Nickiiiii.”

Social media was inundated with tributes to the tennis great. "RIP Nick Bollettieri, supercoach and force of nature. His original academy concept helped produce multiple champions and came to be emulated not just in tennis but across other sports," sportswriter Mike Dickson tweeted. "RIP Nick Bollettieri, philosophy graduate, US paratrooper, force of nature, tennis coach, who has died at 91. Had the pleasure of knowing Nick for 20 years and working with him on columns for The Independent from 2003 to 2010. Holy mackerel! What a life," Sporting Intelligence Editor Nick Harris added.

Bollettieri graduated in philosophy in 1953 and later served in the US Army. He then studied law at the University of Miami but dropped out in 1956 to teach tennis at the prestigious Wayland Academy. Sheryl Smith and Brian Gottfried were among his first students. He eventually became director of tennis operations at the Dorado Beach Hotel in Puerto Rico in the early 1970s, a property owned by the Rockefeller family, according to Tennis World USA.

Bollettieri once quipped, "I have indeed been married eight times, and I'm blissfully happy with my wife Cindi, and our son, Gio. But there was one marriage when I was coaching Andre Agassi where my wife said 'Andre or me' and I replied, 'I'll just pack and be gone.'"