-
-
You do not have permission to view this gallery.
This gallery has 1 photos. -
That was big of Andre considering their long term estrangement...
I met Nick before he was Nick when I went to his summer camp in Beaver Dam Wisconsin in 1969. He told me two things that stuck with me. Make my backswing on my forehand more compact. And stop ordering so much pepperoni pizza for delivery at night. Watched the moon landing there on a small black and white TV.
Much later when I started doing high speed filming I remember watching Tommy Haas footage with him in his room at Indian Wells. He went on to write some great articles for Tennisplayer--even if Pat Dougherty actually provided the info...
.
Saw him last at the Miami Open when he was in his 80s. He was doing non stop clinics.Comment
-
Around a decade ago a student of mine, aged 15, went to Nick's for a month and loved it. He was a 'driller' and got to drill all day at the academy. When he returned back to the UK, the coaches at the academy phoned his parents somewhat incessantly, trying their best to sign up him to the academy for a few years. The parents declined as it was too expensive and it couldn't work educationally, American educational qualifications aren't easily transferrable here. The boy was decent player but nothing like world-class potential.
While he was at the academy, the boy had one lesson with Nick, which cost an awful lot. I have that lesson on a DVD because the parents filmed it for me. Nick told and taught him nothing more than I had in my lessons, but one thing that came across is that Nick had the ability to hold a player in the palm of his hand and get him to listen to his every word. He was skilful at doing that. John Lloyd's father, Dennis, had exactly the same gift. He gave undivided attention and made the player feel he was special.
The parents of the boy said Nick could be seen walking around the academy at 5am or even earlier in the morning. He had a reputation for being an early riser.StottyComment
-
Great anecdotes, stotty and John. Thanks for sharing.Comment
Tweet
Comment