3 fathers who played a major role in making their sons tennis superstars ft. Andre Agassi's dad Emmanuel

From Uncle Toni leading Rafael Nadal to 14 French Open titles to Richard Williams leading his daughters, Serena and Venus Williams to a combined total of 30 Grand Slams, the success of most tennis players draws itself from a strong support system that often exists in the form of an encouraging family.

Several tennis players who went on to dominate the ranks of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) were guided into the game by their fathers who not only placed their first racquets in their hands but also acquainted them with the game they later went on to rule.

With that said, here are a few tennis fathers who played a big role in helping their sons become tennis stars.

---

#3, Bryan Shelton

World No.15 Ben Shelton had an impressive collegiate tennis career before he set foot in the international arena in 2022. Additionally, with two ATP singles titles to his name, Shelton is regarded as an upcoming American tennis sensation.

However, the 21-year-old owes a major part of his tennis prowess to his parents, Bryan and Lisa Shelton, both of whom have been associated with the game at different points in their lives. In continuation to the same, Bryan is said to have been following his father's footsteps.

Bryan Shelton won a couple of titles in his career before becoming the national coach of the United States Tennis Association and then the Head Coach at the University of Florida where Ben pursued collegiate tennis as well. However, last year Bryan left the said position to travel with his son as a full-time coach.

Speaking about the said decision, Bryan said (via ATP.com):

“I think in his mind, he's always thought that ultimately, we'd be able to do this together. "

He added, "We started together on the court and I think we've kind of built that coach-player relationship through the years as we continue to build our own relationship as father-son. And those two kind of went side by side along the way."

Ben is the youngest US Open semifinalist and a collegiate tennis champion and credits his dad for keeping him grounded (via Tennis Tonic):

"My dad has a very analytical and a great tennis mind. So, he gave me lots of tips on what I did well and what I can continue to work on. I think he does a good job of keeping me grounded and realizing that there is always room for improvement. So he has really helped me over this last month.”

---

#2, Apostolos Tsitsipas

World No.9 Stefanos Tsitsipas has been a constant in ATP's top 10 ranking over the last few years and with 11 titles so far, the Greek tennis player has been doing fairly well in the international tennis arena.

With regards to his performance, Tsitsipas has always been thankful to his father and coach, Apostolos Tsitsipas and along with his wife and former tennis professional, Julia Apostoli Tsitsipas, the couple has been one of the driving factors behind the 25-year-old's performance.

Stefanos Tsitsipas (right) with his father/coach Apostolos Tsitsipas

While Stefanos worked with his father throughout his professional career and before the same, he once decided to try working under Australian tennis coach Mark Philippoussis. However, after failing to adapt to Philippoussis' coaching style, the former World No.3 was quick to go back to his father after claiming that regardless of being physically absent, he would always be a part of his tennis journey.

Talking about his father's role as his coach, Tsitsipas once said:

“He is everything to me. He left his job for me when I was twelve. He has evolved day by day, learning as much as possible – whether online, through books, or other means. He is down to earth and aware that he is not perfect – like me. That brings me closer to him.”

He added, "And he's not just any coach. He has the knowledge and has worked with professionals before me. He knows what he is doing. He belongs by my side.

Under the guidance of his father, Stefanos won his first title of the year at Monte Carlo which marked his third victory at the said tournament.

---

#1, Emmanuel Agassi

Former World No.1, Andre Agassi's hate-love journey with tennis and the relationship he shared with his father/coach, Emmanuel "Mike" Agassi was something that the American's autobiography greatly delved into while uncovering his journey.

Mike Agassi, a former Olympic boxer from Iran was determined to turn his son Andre into a World No.1 tennis player and from a very young age, instilled a strict regime of intense training which included the installation of the dragon, a ball machine that directed over a hundred balls at a stretch to Andre who was expected to hit harder and "beat the dragon."

Even though the said regime contributed to a slight dislike towards the game that the American later went on to rule, he disagreed with the notion that his father was rather abusive.

Speaking about the same, he once said (via the Guardian):

“When people didn’t have my nuanced take on him they just represented him as abusive."

Andre Agassi at the signing of his book 'Open' in 2009

With regards to the kind of love that his father had yet failed to express, in his book, Agassi shared details of the phone call he had with him after he won his first and only Wimbledon title in 1992 and said:

"Then I say, 'Good thing I won the fifth set, though, right? He says nothing. Not because he disagrees, or disapproves, but because he’s crying. Faintly I hear my father sniffling and wiping away tears, and I know he’s proud, just incapable of expressing it. I can’t fault the man for not knowing how to say what’s in his heart. It’s the family curse."

The on-court relationship between Andre and his father greatly impacted their family, including his siblings who also played tennis, while Mike Agassi was driven by the goal of making his youngest son a tennis champion. However, as he started getting older, the training sessions he had with his father started bearing fruit and translated to eight Grand Slam titles and the Career Grand Slam for winning each one of the four Grand Slams at least once.