By Steve Lee

The Saddlebrook influence continues with a handful of people who once figured prominently in the tennis program at that Wesley Chapel-based resort now helping out with the new $5 million tennis and wellness center being built in nearby Zephyrhills.

Pascal Collard, the chief operating officer of the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis Center targeted to open this summer, is the former director of tennis at Saddlebrook. Last week he worked on a series of instructional videos with three people — Gabriela Dabrowski, Rene Moller and Kaj Gruning — with Saddlebrook connections.

Dabrowski, who in 2018 was the seventh-ranked doubles player in the Women’s Tennis Association, has trained at Saddlebrook. She won the 2017 French Open mixed doubles title with Rohan Bopanna, becoming the first Canadian woman to win a senior Grand Slam title.

Moller, who has coached champions John Isner and Samantha Stosur, is Saddlebrook’s former coaching director and Gruning, a Wesley Chapel resident, has been a personal trainer for numerous athletes at Saddlebrook.

“The idea came to me when we started to shut down the state and people started to stay home,” Collard said of the videos utilizing athletes, coaches and trainers. “I wanted to combine world class athletes with trainers to bring something to people’s houses and (the participants) loved it.”

Collard’s plans to release 30 videos, about two per month, for a $5 monthly fee. They are filmed by David Alvarez, the new tennis center’s marketing and social media director. A promotion soon will be posted at svbtenniscenter.com.

Dabrowski, Moller and Gruning echoed their reasons for being drawn to Collard’s idea, each mentioning his knowledge and enthusiasm for tennis as well as the new projects.

“What I like most is Pascal’s very passionate about it and I think that transfers to others,” Gruning said. “People feel his energy; feel his passion.”