Extraordinary People: Who We Are

Renaissance Tennis Management (RTM) is comprised of professionals who have become top performers in their respective careers. United by the passion for tennis and a distinctive focus on winning, we all actively participate in developing and branding our players, covering every aspect on and off the court. The team is driven by the desire to help players achieve their dreams and provide extraordinary career opportunities they would otherwise never be able to obtain.

 

 

 

 


 Norman M. Canter
CEO & Co-Founder, Managing Director

Norman is a visionary.  He takes ideas and builds them into multi-million dollar companies.  A doer, a creator, an innovator, a winner, he started his career at the age of 13 and was working full-time by the time he was 19.  Blessed with great mentors, motivators and teachers, he can be proud of his exciting and diversified industrial and marketing career.

Norman also has the reputation for making things happen. He has lived and worked all over the world bringing his brilliant ideas to fruition by helping others succeed. Seven years ago, Norman made a decision to focus all of his time and resources on his big passion – tennis.  He began by working and sponsoring junior players, including some of the highest ranked boys and girls in the world, as well as professional men and woman players. Later he put together an extraordinary team of professionals to ensure and maintain the initial success of RTM.

Partnering with one of the most respected coaches in ATP history, Tarik Benhabilies, he opened the doors of Renaissance Tennis Institute, a new training facility in South Florida, located at Woodmont Country Club in Tamarac.

 

Richard W. DeVries
Chairman of the Board

Richard has been a lawyer since 1978, providing legal advice to clients around the world, primarily in the areas of implementation of international financial and business strategies, wealth preservation, tax and estate planning, corporate finance and securities laws compliance. His expertise is the solid backing for the operations of Renaissance Tennis Management.

Richard has diverse business ventures, as well as a vast amount of business experience in numerous public and private companies worldwide.  The success of RTM is one of his most exciting career accomplishments to date.


Tarik Benhabiles
Head Coach and Director of Tennis Operations

As a player, Tarik reached #22 in the ATP rankings.  Born and raised in France, Tarik had the honor of playing for his country on the French National Davis Cup team.

After retiring from the tour ten years ago, Tarik turned his efforts to coaching and has since coached many of the world’s top men's tennis players. Tarik met a young Andy Roddick at the age of 16 and turned him into the #4 player in the world.  In 2006, Tarik came out of retirement to join Renaissance Tennis, as he missed the tennis world -- and in particular coaching -- and had a desire to assist young players achieve their tennis career goals.

Enjoying his work so much, Tarik's return to coaching began with Ivo Karlovic, improving his game so much that Ivo moved into the top 50 on the ATP rankings for the first time.  Tarik has also worked with many other young players including Richard Gasquet, a 19-year-old Frenchman (currently ranked in the world’s top 20), 13-year-old Russian tennis sensation Lera Solovieva, last year’s ITF Jr. Orange Bowl champion, and Vania King, currently America's 17-year-old sensation in ladies tennis.

His most recent prodigy, Benjamin Becker, defeated Andre Agassi during the third round of the 2006 U.S. Open, in Agassi's final professional match (before losing to Roddick the next day). Becker has risen from 1400 to 56 in less than a year, the fastest rise in ATP history.

"A perfectionist, an artist, and a proven winner, Tarik utilizes his unique combination of skills to offer players both superior coaching and superior management."

Tarik is considered to be one of the best coaches in tennis, often referred to as "a genius"; his reputation among his peers is as "The consummate professional who stresses mental toughness along with techniques and conditioning."  A perfectionist, an artist, and a proven winner, Tarik utilizes his unique combination of skills to offer players both superior coaching and superior management.  Tarik currently resides with his wife Clelia in Miami Beach, where he leads a staff of world class tennis coaches who work under him with Renaissance Tennis players.

Renaissance Tennis will prepare you to become a winner and a champion, teaching you how to reach the top of the tennis world’s rankings; it’s our goal and our commitment to all of our players.

Jordan Bieber
VP Player Representation

 

Jean Luc Fontanot
Head Coach

Jean Luc Fontanot is from France, but has spent several years in different countries throughout his life. Jean Luc graduated from business school in Paris, and obtained his tennis degree from the French Tennis Federation, as well as a degree in sports conditioning.

In 2003 Jean Luc emigrated to the US and began coaching juniors in Florida and several women playing on the Pro Tour. Soon after arriving, while coaching players competing in the same tournament, Tarik approached Jean Luc as he was quite impressed with his attention to detail and communication skills and invited him to join his staff full time.

After Benjamin Becker and Benedikt Dorsch graduated from Baylor they traveled the circuits with Jean Luc and saw their rankings climb from nothing to top 200 within a year. Jean Luc lives in Boca Raton with his wife, daughter and son.


Sasha Soloviev
 Director of Physical Fitness

 
   Norman Canter Managing Director of RTM and Sasha, Director of Physical Fitness