LEGENDARY tennis coach Nick Bollettieri revealed he loved every second of his weekend spent at Thorpe Bay Lawn Tennis Club.

Bollettieri has worked with some of the greatest tennis players of all time, including Boris Becker, Andre Agassi, the Williams sisters and Maria Sharapova.

But it was south-east Essex’s budding stars who benefited from his expertise at the weekend.

And the 83-year-old Bollettieri was delighted to step foot on the courts.

“It was a lot of fun and when something is fun it’s also very easy to do,” Bollettieri told Echosport.

“Coming here I felt like I was at a club I had already been a part of and it’s a great venue.

“It’s not fancy but it’s homely and that’s what impressed me most.”

Bollettieri ran a number of coaching sessions across the weekend and passed on his tips while wearing a microphone, meaning those watching court-side were also able to hear his advice.

And he was delighted to see all of his lessons full.

“We were full up in all of the sessions and it’s just been a terrific experience for me,” said Bollettieri, who was made an honorary member of the club during his visit.

“What’s also been so nice was that a lot of the adults were able to watch their children train.

“We gave them all some little tips and it turned out to be a great two days.”

Bollettieri’s visit was organised by Royston Kymberly of the British Tennis Coaches Association.

He became friends while Bolletteiri after meeting him at a shop opening in Wimbledon and interviewing him for the UK Tennis magazine he runs.

And Kymberly, who grew up in Southend, was also pleased to have brought Bollettieri back to his home town.

“This is my local area, I grew up in Southend and I thought it would be nice for Nick to come here so it’s been great for me too,” said Kimberley.

“Thorpe Bay is a successful, nice club and I knew it was a place people would like to visit. It was predominantly for their members but others could come along, too.

“It was the perfect venue and I knew Nick would enjoy it here.”

Bollettieri held a variety of classes for those aged 14 and under, those under 18 and under and also for just adults.

He also led a parent and child session as well as working with the coaches which Kymberly felt made the weekend such a success.

“We’ve gone right across the spectrum,” said Kymberly.

“In many ways I would imagine Nick is reinforcing what coaches are already saying but hearing it from the greatest coach in the history of the game is fantastic and everyone has really loved it.”

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