ITF Coaches Conference

BRUCE ELLIOTT (AUS)

Professor Elliott is the Head and senior biomechanist in the School of Human Movement and Exercise Science, at the University of Western Australia. He is a state level tennis coach and has published widely, being the major author in over 200 international books, book chapters and papers on science as it applies to sports.

Furthermore, Professor Elliott is a much sought-after international speaker on the application of biomechanics to sport. He was the keynote speaker at the 1st World Congress on Racquet Sports, the 1st World Congress on Cricket and the 3rd World Congress of Medicine and Science in Tennis. He works extensively with the ITF on the biomechanics of stroke production.

He was honoured by the International Society of Biomechanics in Sports by being asked to give their Geoffrey Dyson Lecture and has been made a fellow of that organisation. In 2003 the Professional Tennis Registry awarded him the Stanley Plagenhoef Sport Science Award for “his lifetime contribution to tennis” and the Australian Government awarded him their Centenary Medal “for service to sport policy and research development for sport”.

ERIC WINOGRADSKY (FRA)

During his playing career Eric reached 17 in the world for doubles and lost in the 1989 final of Roland Garros partnering Mansour Bahrami. In singles as a junior Eric reached the Wimbledon Junior Final and caused an upset when a senior beating Stefan Edberg in the second round at the 1987 French Open, 7-6, 7-6, 7-5.

Now retired as a professional player Eric has traveled extensively and experienced much success as the full time coach of 2008 Australian Runner Up and current ATP number 8, Jo Wilfred Tsonga.

FRANCISCO ROIG (ESP)

Francis was born in Barcelona on April 1, 1968. His greatest success as a professional tennis player was in doubles, where he won 9 titles and played in 12 finals. He retired in late 2001.

Francis Roig, was ranked among the top 60 players in the world during his career. As a coach he has coached players such as Alberto Berasategui, Feliciano Lopez and Albert Costa, as well as Rafael Nadal who works with today.
In addition, Francis directs the Barcelona Total Tennis(BTT)academy with other great coaching professionals as Jordi Vilaro and Alvar Margets.

In 2009 Francis was appointed by the Royal Spanish Tennis Federation as the assistant to Spanish Davis Cup captain, Albert Costa.

MARK KOVACS (USA)

Mark Kovacs, Ph.D. joined the USTA Player Development staff as the Manager of Sport Science in 2008. Mark will be based in the Boca Raton office. Mark was an All-American and NCAA doubles champion at Auburn University.

After playing professionally, he pursued his graduate work performing tennis-specific research and has a graduate degree in Exercise Science from Auburn University and a Ph.D. in Exercise Physiology from The University of Alabama. Dr. Kovacs is also a certified strength and conditioning specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association, a certified Health/Fitness Instructor through the American College of Sports Medicine, a United States Track and Field Level II sprints coach and also a USPTA certified tennis coach.

Mark has published and presented tennis specific research in numerous top scientific journals and at national and international conferences. He is also an author of the tennis conditioning text Tennis Training: Enhancing On-Court Performance and is currently an Associate Editor of the Strength and Conditioning Journal. Prior to joining the USTA, Dr. Kovacs was an Assistant Professor of Exercise Science and Wellness at Jacksonville State University.

MIGUEL CRESPO (ITF)

Miguel is the Research Officer for the Tennis Development Department of the International Tennis Federation (ITF). Based in Spain, Miguel is responsible for the ITF Coaches Education Programme and has been involved in the writing of many of the ITF’s coach education publications including: the ITF Advanced Coaches Manual; the ITF School Tennis Initiative Teachers Manual; the ITF’s “Being a Better Tennis Parent”, and “The Tennis Volunteer” among other publications. He also travels the world conducting coaches’ workshops and reporting on the latest developments in the field of coaching. Miguel holds a Ph.D. in Sports Psychology and a B.A. in Philology. He is former Director of the National Coaching School of the Real Federación Española de Tenis. Between 1984 and 1989, Miguel was a travelling coach and captain of Spanish National Junior Teams. Miguel has taught coaches at all levels and has written articles and books for coaches, players and officials of the game.

ALBERT COSTA (ESP)

Costa won his first top-level singles title in 1995 at Kitzbühel. He won three further titles in 1996. In 1997, he won another two singles titles and was part of the Spanish team that won the World Team Cup. He won another two singles titles in 1998, including the Tennis Masters Series event in Hamburg. Three further titles followed in 1999.

In 2000, Costa helped Spain win its first Davis Cup. He also captured a bronze medal in the men's doubles at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, partnering Álex Corretja.

During the French Open in 2002, Costa came up against another Spaniard, Juan Carlos Ferrero in the final. Ferrero had been in fine form in the run-up to the event and most observers considered him to be the heavy favourite going into the final. But Costa won in four sets – 6–1, 6–0, 4–6, 6–3 – to claim his only Grand Slam title. The win propelled him to his career-high singles ranking of World No. 6 in July 2002.

During his career, Costa won 12 top-level singles titles. In 2005, he captured his first tour doubles title (in Doha, partnering Rafael Nadal). Costa took over the role of Davis Cup Captain of Spain in 2009

MACHAR REID (AUS)

Machar is the Sport Science Manager for Tennis Australia (TA). In this role, he is responsible for TA’s Sport Science programme which includes working with players, coaches and researchers nation-wide. Machar holds a PhD. in tennis biomechanics and retains an association with the University of Western Australia as an Adjunct Lecturer (Biomechanics).
Machar was the Assistant Research Officer for the International Tennis Federation (ITF) from 2000-2004, where his brief included touring as a coach with the ITF Junior ‘A’ Team, co-editing ITF Coaching & Sport Science Review, conducting research, and tutoring ITF Level II and III Coaching Courses. During this time, he also filled the role of strength and conditioning advisor to ATP player, Greg Rusedski. More recently, he has assisted the Chinese Tennis Association in the physical preparation of their top 100 female players.
In Australia, Machar has complemented a strong background in sport science, featuring a comprehensive course of under- and post-graduate study, with a scholarship coaching post with the Australian Institute of Sport Tennis programme. Machar has co-authored several tennis sport science and coaching books and is also a regular presenter at international workshops and contributor to peer-reviewed scientific journals.

WARREN PRETORIUS (SA)

USPTA Master Professional – designation held by less than 1% of 15,000 USPTA pros worldwide

Tennis Market Manager, Dartfish USA

Region Director, Dartfish USA
- SW Region USA (S. California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Montana, Wyoming)
- South Africa

Responsibilities include sales and training for Dartfish the world’s leading video analysis software company and enhanced content delivery network (Dartfish.tv), offering skill and game analysis solutions to athletics, sports performance, academic, research and broadcast entities.

Key Account Manager for United States Tennis Association, US Professional Tennis Association, Intercollegiate Tennis Association, USA Ski and Snowboard team, IMG Academies (including Bollettieri Tennis Academy), Red Bull USA, US Olympic Committee – USA Curling.

Consults with the United States Tennis Association – national camp video analysis, filming at major events on tennis circuit, including US Open, and producing the digital player library on the USTA and USOpen.org websites.

Certified USTA High Performance Coach. Consults with professional players on ATP and WTA tours.

Former Director of Tennis at Park City Racquet Club, Utah (14 years).

Played NCAA division I college tennis at Weber State University, Big Sky Conference Champions ’86, ’87, ’88, ’89.

On the senior tennis circuit, has won eight USTA balls, including 4 National Championships.

Has worked with numerous nationally ranked US juniors, and coached Park City High School to their 4th State Championship in a row in 2006.

Leading talent in the Motion Capture of Microsoft’s Xbox tennis game “Topspin” and “Topsin II.”

Featured speaker at the last 8 USPTA World Conventions on Tennis, regional conventions and tennis workshops, National Coaching Educator’s Conference, AAHPERD, and PEACH conferences.

DAVE MILEY (ITF)

Dave is the ITF Executive Director of Tennis Development and is responsible for overseeing the juniors, seniors and wheelchair activities of the ITF as well as the ITF Development Programme. Since joining the ITF in 1991 he has visited over 100 countries advising National Associations, conducting coaches’ workshops and directing junior training programmes. Dave has been involved in the writing of many of the ITF’s coach education publications including: the Advanced Coaches Manual; the ITF Schools Tennis Initiative Teachers Manual; and the ITF’s “Being a Better Tennis Parent”. Dave has been a British LTA Level 3 Professional Coach since 1984, was Irish Men’s Doubles Champion in 1984 and 1987 and is a former captain of the Irish National Men’s Team.

ALBERTO RIBA (ESP)

Alberto is the General Manager of the Spanish Tennis Federation. Before this appointment he was Sports Director and had held this position since 1985 after starting with the Federation in 1975. Alberto, as a player, was a member of the Spanish National Junior Team which played the Sunshine Cup, the Orange Bowl and the Galea Cup. He was one of the top 40 juniors in Spain. Alberto has been captain of many National Junior Teams and has been the delegate of the Spanish Davis Cup and Fed Cup teams since 1998. He has also been the Spanish delegate of the Spanish tennis teams at the Olympic Games of LA, Seoul, Barcelona, Atlanta, Sydney and Athens. Alberto is certified as a Master Professor of the Spanish Tennis Federation. He has also been invited to present in a great number of National and International seminars and workshops and is a member of the ITF Coaches Commission.

YASSINE YOUSFI (IOC)

Yassine is currently working for the International Olympic Committee (IOC), where he holds the position of Project Manager in the Department: Olympic Solidarity (OS), which is responsible for supporting the 203 National Olympic Committees (NOC) officially recognised by the IOC.

In this position since 1997, he has been responsible for the OS programmes for coaches worldwide, e.g. technical courses for coaches, individual scholarships in Universities and high level training centres, specific training programmes conducted jointly with the International Federations and mid to long term projects held in different countries.

He was also the contact person at a continental level for Africa and Europe, since January 2001 and for Oceania, Asia and America, from 1997 to the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.

Prior to working for the IOC Yassine worked as a PE teacher and physical conditioning coach, especially in Swiss national ice hockey league and tennis. Yassine holds several Diplomas and Degrees in the areas of Sport and Physical Education, Psychology and Sports Management and has been involved in several summer and winter Olympic Games.

STEVEN MARTENS (BEL)
Steven joined the LTA as the Head of Technical Support at the beginning of 2007. He took on this role, as part of the leadership team, in an effort to help make Britain one of the leading nations in tennis over the next decade.

Previously he was the Technical Director of the Flemish Tennis Federation (VTV 2005 - 2006). He was also the captain for both the Belgian Davis Cup (2001 - 2005) and Fed Cup (1993 - 1998) teams. He was head coach at the VTV training centre (1998 – 2005) and has worked with players such as: Sabine Appelmans, Laurence Courtois, Kim Clysters, Justine Henin, Xavier Malisse, Olivier Rochus and Kristof Vliegen. Steven holds a Master in Classical Philology (Leuven 1986) and Toptrainer Tennis (BLOSO 1998). Steven has given lectures in coaches education courses and conferences for more than 10 years, has been a co-commentator for Canal + and VRT, and has authored/co-authored a number of books. In 1997 Steven was awarded the ITF Coach fair play award.

ANGEL RUIZ COTORRO (ESP)

Dr. Ruiz Cotorro graduated in Medicine and Surgery from University of Santander and specialised in sports medicine at the University of Barcelona in 1990. He has also obtained his C.E.S. in Biology and Sports medicine at the University Pierre and Marie Curie in Paris. Moreover, he is a licensed physician for completion of doping control.

Dr. Cotorro runs a masters course in orthopedic surgery and has been an attending physician in orthopedic surgery and trauma services for various hospitals in Paris, Barcelona and Santander. During his work as a specialist in sports medicine has developed his skills and experience in sports such as football, sailing, cycling and tennis.

Since 1993 is has been the head of medical services for the Royal Spanish Tennis Federation and, as such, is responsible for overseeing all players in professional competitions including Davis Cup, Olympic and Grand Slam tournaments. He has been the physician for players such as Rafael Nadal and David Nalbandian, among others.