Legendary Coach Nick Saviano on Building Tennis Champions—and Better People

Nick Saviano has worn nearly every hat tennis can offer: elite junior, NCAA champion, ATP pro, USTA national coach, academy director, and mentor to Grand Slam winners and world top-tens. Sitting down at Saviano High Performance Tennis in Davie, Florida, he reflected on five decades in the game and the principles that continue to guide his work with the next generation.

Photo courtesy of Saviano High Performance Tennis 

Saviano didn’t pick up a racquet until age 12 but he climbed quickly. “I started playing full-time at 14, got my first ranking in Northern California… became one of the top collegiate prospects,” he recalled. A full scholarship to Stanford followed, where he was a two-time All-American and NCAA champion on a powerhouse roster that included John Whitlinger, Sandy and Gene Mayer, and Patrick DuPré.

During college Saviano sampled the pro tour, rising inside the top 150 before turning professional after his sophomore year. His peak ATP ranking was No. 48. “I was a very good pro—I was not great—but I was on court with greatness,” he said, citing regular practices with John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors. The tour in the pre-cell-phone era was isolating. “When you were gone, you were gone,” he said. He retired on February 10, 1984—the day his daughter was born—still ranked No. 75.

Photo courtesy of Saviano High Performance Tennis 

A call from the USTA, recognizing his remarkable success just four years after retiring, drew Saviano into a junior training camp. His first hitting partners? “Michael Chang… Jim Courier… David Wheaton… and in the afternoon, Andre Agassi.” The experience accelerated a coaching career that quickly intersected with a golden era of American men’s tennis. By 1988 he was one of the USTA’s first national coaches, later serving as Director of Men’s Player Development and then Director of High Performance Coaching Education, where he oversaw sports science and helped formalize national coaching structures.

Saviano emphasizes that great players emerge from a network, not a single guru. “It’s ludicrous for any coach to take credit for developing a player,” he said. “So many other key people are involved… parents, physical trainers, multiple coaches.”

Photo courtesy of Saviano High Performance Tennis

He organizes development in layers: first, foundational life principles (work ethic, discipline, perseverance, joy for learning); next, rock-solid tennis fundamentals in technique, tactics, and competition; and finally, “high-performance principles” that allow individual creativity to flourish. “A lot of people make mistakes trying to teach too much [nuance] before they have a rock-solid foundation.”

Nick Saviano, invited guest of Jim Courier during Courier’s 2015 Hall of Fame induction. Photo courtesy of Saviano High Performance Tennis

Saviano’s philosophy still emphasizes the role of parents and home environment. “Many of the great ingredients are established at a very young age,” he noted. “It can start at two years old—encouraging perseverance, instilling joy in learning. The subtleties matter.”

Those values must meet a training environment that’s both demanding and liberating: structured fundamentals that “allow creative brilliance to come through,” without prematurely capping a player’s ceiling. “You don’t know who will be great, but you can give every kid the opportunity to be great if they choose and have the courage to go for their dreams.”

Photos courtesy of Saviano High Performance Tennis

Though his work at the USTA began on the men’s side, Saviano’s work soon transitioned to women’s tennis as well. At the request of Stefano Capriati, he helped a young Jennifer Capriati. Later, Monica Seles sought Saviano’s input on her serve. After launching his own academy in South Florida, he worked with a remarkable group of young women who made a global impact — including Sloane Stephens, Monica Puig, Laura Robson, Eugenie Bouchard, Mallory Burdette, and Samantha Crawford, among others.

Photos courtesy of Saviano High Performance Tennis

“I got Sloane at 11… Monica Puig at 7½… Laura Robson came at 12 and won Eddie Herr and made the Orange Bowl semis,” he recalled. Bouchard rose to the WTA top-5 and a Wimbledon final; Puig captured Olympic gold; Stephens won the US Open. More recently, Saviano contributed at key moments with Amanda Anisimova — having been part of her developmental team since she was 11 and working closely with her parents — and with Coco Gauff, between ages 13 and 15, when he collaborated with Corey, her father, and the team. Of Gauff, he said, “I knew—this one’s really special… very disciplined, very respectful.”

Amanda Anisimova and Sloane Stephens with Nick Saviano. Photos courtesy of Saviano High Performance Tennis

Saviano also recounted a brief, targeted stint with Elina Svitolina: “We tweaked some things—mindset, forehand, patterns. Ten days later, she won the WTA year-end championships.” True to form, he added, “I’m not taking credit for that… I just hope a few things resonated.”

Saviano’s 2002 book Maximum Tennis distilled fundamentals; his new book is currently in the works and it aims even wider. “There are fundamental principles of life success—and fundamental principles of technique, strategy, tactics, training,” he said. “From there, high-performance principles allow creative genius to come out.” The through line: embed life skills into daily tennis habits so the lessons “carry more weight and significance” for players and parents alike.

Photos courtesy of Saviano High Performance Tennis

“The game is to be enjoyed,” Saviano said. “Joy and passion are number one.” From there, embrace that “life is not easy” and neither is tennis — focus on what you can control and commit to “relentless growth.”

For competitors, he offered a practical north star: “Make your number one goal when you’re competing to be the best you can be. Your opponent can never stop you from that pursuit. They may win the match—but they can’t keep you from getting better.”

Photos courtesy of Saviano High Performance Tennis

For Parents, he added, “Enjoy the process. The more you enjoy it, the more your child will enjoy it—and the harder they’ll work. That starts a great cycle.”

Saviano’s academy in Davie, Florida, is an extension of his philosophy. “Most of the kids are not going to become top world-class players,” he said. “You’ve got to make their time with you a positive contributor in their tennis and in their life.”

Photos courtesy of Saviano High Performance Tennis

The academy has achieved tremendous success, both in player development and in helping athletes earn spots at top collegiate tennis programs. Saviano remains a constant presence on court—passionate, engaged, and fully invested in each athlete’s growth.

For more information, visit savianotennis.com or look up Saviano High Performance Tennis, Davie, Florida.

Exclusive Interview

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Written and edited by Associate Editor Osvaldo Godoy. On-camera interview by Editor and Publisher Matt Pressman. Video editing by Assistant Editor Alex Binstok. Top photo credit: Saviano High Performance Tennis