Gilbert reveals how Agassi made him “a way better coach”

Brad Gilbert coached Andre Agassi to six Grand Slam triumphs between 1994 and 2002

Brad Gilbert (L) and Andre Agassi

December 21, 2024

Renowned tennis coach Brad Gilbert recently revealed how Andre Agassi, the eight-time Grand Slam champion from the US, changed his perspective on competition.

Gilbert competed on the ATP Tour from 1982-95, winning 20 titles and reaching the world No 4 rank in singles. He couldn’t get his hands on a Grand Slam trophy as a player, reaching the quarter-finals at the US Open in 1987 and Wimbledon in 1990, however, he helped his compatriot Agassi to six Major triumphs between 1994 and 2002.

Tennis Majors

Reflecting on his partnership with the former world No 1, Gilbert revisited Agassi’s idea of putting his foot down on the pedal during important tournaments to do well on the big stages.

“Obviously, you need a player with immense talent but helping somebody fulfill their dreams, they have worked hard, and then if you can do your part, you can help a little bit,” Gilbert said on Tennis Channel’s Inside-In Podcast. “I think the journey, maybe the best, is watching in December when you’re having a practice and you’re thinking about, ‘Six weeks away… Australia.’

“My biggest regret as a player to a coach, I never understood this word and Andre was the one who presented it to me because it was over my head, was ‘peak’. And I’m like peak? I’m thinking every single week, good or bad, I’m just going. So, Andre could literally, ‘I wanna be ready for eight weeks out to make this run.’ My brain would back up seven weeks, thinking about the tournament before. So, once I got that and it was all about him learning to win Majors, it made me a way better coach.”

"Once I got that, and it was all about him learning to win majors, it made me a way better coach."@Bgtennisnation explains why @AndreAgassi's ability to peak at the biggest events led to a breakthrough for the coach on the Inside-In Podcast.

Listen ➡️ https://t.co/7LrgknAHpK pic.twitter.com/gRcdsjdBRo
— TENNIS (@Tennis) December 19, 2024

The 63-year-old coach added more accolades to his name by assisting Andy Roddick to a US Open trophy in 2003. Most recently, he accompanied WTA No 3 Coco Gauff to a New York Major championship in 2023.