Tennis star Sue Barker remembers Torquay coach

Albert Roberrts was "most wonderful man"

Top TV tennis commentator and host of BBC One's 'A Question of Sport' Sue Barker says she owes her career to her former Torbay coach.

The former French Open winner grew up in Torbay, where she was taken under the wing of Albert Roberts. Speaking on a podcast to current female British number one Johanna Konta, Ms Barker reveals how Mr Roberts offered his services free of charge because her parents couldn't afford to pay for lessons.

Mr Roberts had a strong pedigree in training tennis stars, having already coached a Devonian three-times grand slam winner. He was looking to take on two up-and-coming players, and chose Ms Barker, who is now 64. She told the podcast: "He refused any money. If I hadn't been with him, I'd have never had my tennis career."

When she became successful and the money started rolling in, she tried to pay him back. Although Mr Roberts agreed and took several payments until Ms Barker retired from the sport in 1984, he had a further generous trick up his sleeve. Without his former pupil knowing, he passed the cash directly back to Sue Barker's father to reinvest for her.

"Suddenly like 10 years later, then 20 years later, then 25 years later, these bonds suddenly appeared. A letter arrived on my doorstep and this money. I thought 'where does this money come from?' He invested the money that I'd given him. So he ended up making me more money. He was just the most wonderful man and without him I wouldn't have been able to do it."

Ms Baker says that Mr Roberts was; "So so special to me and such an amazing coach. Sometimes you don't realise it till later on. I knew he was fabulous, but I just didn't realise how fabulous until later on....It was almost like he wanted me to excel in life and he didn't want the money."

Mr Roberts was based at the indoor court at the Palace Hotel, Torquay. He also trained Angela Mortimer, a Plymouth-born tennis star who won three grand slams.