The charismatic American pioneered the concept of a live-in academy and worked with some of the biggest names in the sport, including Andre Agassi, Serena and Venus Williams, Maria Sharapova, Monica Seles and Boris Becker.
Born in New York to Italian immigrant parents, Bollettieri switched to tennis coaching after dropping out of law school and opened his tennis academy in Bradenton, Florida in 1978.
Sports management giant IMG bought the academy nine years later but Bollettieri continued to oversee its tennis programme.
Former world No.2 Tommy Haas, another Bollettieri success story and current tournament director of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, wrote on Instagram: "So many memories, I am not sure where to begin.
"Nickiiiii, that's how I have called you for the longest time. Thank you for your time, knowledge, commitment, expertise, the willingness to share your skill, your personal interest in mentoring me, and giving me the best opportunity to follow my dreams.
"You were a dreamer and a doer, and a pioneer in our sport, truly one of a kind."
An ebullient, effervescent character Bollettieri was still travelling to Wimbledon and working in media deep into this 80s, in between playing golf and body-surfing in Florida.
Married seven times he had five children and, with his last wife Cindi, who survives him, adopted two more.
11°C