Robert Lansdorp

Robert Lansdorp (born 1938, Semarang, Indonesia) is a professional tennis coach. He first rose to international fame in 1979 when his student Tracy Austin became the youngest US Open Women's Singles champion in history at age 16.[1] He has gone on to coach other tennis champions including Pete Sampras, Lindsay Davenport, and Maria Sharapova.[1] He is regarded as an expert on groundstrokes, in particular the forehand, advocating a powerful, flat hitting technique commonly referred to as the "Lansdorp Forehand".[2]

In 2004, Lansdorp said: "I’ve never received anything from one player. Not even a $500 gift. They’re all multi-millionaires but I’ve never received one thing. And I’m telling you, if Maria doesn’t put a Mercedes convertible in my driveway, I’m going to shoot myself."[3]

Lansdorp received the USTA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005 and was honored as a Team USA Coaching Legend along with Nick Bollettieri, Jerry Baskin and Jack Sharpe at the inaugural 2013 Team USA Coaching Legend reception in Indian Wells, California.[4]

In 2013 he publicly criticized the United States Tennis Association's Player Development program under General Manager Patrick McEnroe, saying the 2012 mandate requiring players under the age of ten compete on miniature courts with lightweight green-dot balls is "wrong for the very talented kids." Sharapova, Monica Seles and the Williams sisters, he noted, were very competitive with standard courts and equipment from age 7.[5]

References

  1. 1 2 Dillman, Lisa (August 15, 1999). "Lansdorp Makes Impact on Best of Generations". Los Angeles Times.
  2. ↑ "The Lansdorp Forehand". Tennisplayer.net.
  3. ↑ Simons, Bill. "Robert Lansdorp: "My System Makes Them Great."". Inside Tennis. November 2004.
  4. ↑ Pratt, Steve. "Renowned Coaches Honored At Team USA Coaching Awards". www.usta.com.
  5. ↑ Lansdorp, Robert. "Robert Lansdorp Talks About 10 And Under Tennis". Tennisconsult.com.
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