Bates started playing tennis at the age of six.[2]
Bates was a promising British junior tennis player,[3] who won the boys doubles final at the 1996 Osaka Mayor's Cup,[4] and reached the second round of boys singles main draw at the Astrid Bowl and Junior Wimbledon in 1997.[2]
He later became a university lecturer.[3]
Bates was Lawn Tennis Association women's tennis manager until February 2013.[5]
Bates was appointed head of women's tennis at the Lawn Tennis Association in February 2013, replacing Leon Smith.[6][5]
Bates was also the Lawn Tennis Association Olympic Team Leader for the 2016,[7] and 2020 Summer Olympics.[8][9]
Bates has worked with Emma Raducanu since her early teens.[10] He was part of her support team for the 2021 US Open where she won, and became her temporary coach in April 2022.[11]