Who is Coco Gauff’s coach Brad Gilbert?
Coco Gauff's new coach Brad Gilbert has been an absolute rock in the back for the American's impressive performances in the recent times.
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Pere Riba and Coco Gauff during their training session. (credits: Tennis.com)
American tennis sensation Coco Gauff was among the teenagers to have taken the sport by storm right from a very young age, and since then she has given the fans enough reason to support her. When it comes to her support related to tennis, she has had several coaches in her career and was recently practicing with Spaniard Pere Riba, whose partnership with Coco retired in November 2023.
Currently making waves at the Australian Open, tennis sensation Coco Gauff is supported by her new coach, Brad Gilbert. Gilbert joined Gauff’s team as a consultant in late July 2023. However, following Riba’s departure, Gilbert took on the role of Gauff’s head coach, and here’s all you need to know about him.
Over the years, Gilbert has served as a coach for numerous top players, with Coco being the latest recipient of his guidance. His coaching roster includes notable names such as Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick, and Andy Murray.
During his coaching tenure with Agassi from 1994 to 2002, Agassi secured six Grand Slam titles and an Olympic gold medal. Under Gilbert’s guidance, Agassi also attained the World No. 1 ranking for the first time in his career. In 2003, Gilbert coached Roddick to victory in the US Open and helped him reach the top spot in the ATP rankings.
Before coaching Gauff, Gilbert was an ESPN tennis analyst. He joined the sports entertainment company in 2004 and briefly took a break in 2008 to coach Murray. During the hiatus, Gilbert did not hold any coaching positions for several years until he joined Coco’s team as a consultant in July 2023.
Who was Pere Riba and how did he influence Coco Gauff?
After her dream run at the US Open 2023, fans gave Pere Riba the credit that was due. Riba had been Gauff’s rock in the months leading up to the tournament, transforming her into a different beast. Riba had a very silent professional career during his playing days, which forced him to become a tennis instructor from a young age.
He reached World No. 65 in the singles, which is his career-best, and went on to win 21 titles during his 16-year illustrious career. He has partnered with several tennis stars to guide them during their careers, namely Zheng Qinwen, Arantxa Rus, and of course, Coco Gauff, who is by far his biggest success.
Why did Coco Gauff and Pere Riba split up?
However, as the 2023 season came to an end, Pere Riba announced his separation from Coco Gauff. The pair would no longer train together and as he wrote on Instagram, “due to some personal and family health reasons,” he had to take a “step back”. The split was amicable as Coco replied to this heartwarming post with her best wishes for Riba’s future endeavors, stating, “Thank you, Pere! Enjoyed our time together. All the best in the future.”
Who is Brad Gilbert?
Brad Gilbert is a retired professional tennis player who had a successful career spanning from 1982 to 1995. Playing college tennis at Pepperdine, he earned All-American status and reached the NCAA singles final in 1982. In the professional circuit, he consistently ranked high, securing the World No. 6 spot in 1989 and the No. 10 in 1990.
Gilbert’s career peaked in 1990 with a highest ranking of World No. 4. Notable achievements include quarterfinal appearances at the US Open in 1987 and Wimbledon in 1990. Additionally, he won a bronze medal at the 1988 Olympics, representing the United States in Seoul, South Korea, where he lost to Tim Mayotte.
Who has coached Coco Gauff so far in her career?
Coco Gauff had been coached by Diego Moyano for quite some time before they decided to split. The move eventually backfired on the American as she went through one of the toughest phases of her career, suffering a major dip in form.
Gauff decided to rely on her father as a coaching partner ahead of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix held in Stuttgart, thereby keeping an eye on other coaching options. But it took some time to find a replacement.
The American went to a major winless run with her fans booing her off the pitch and also criticizing her father on social media platforms. She even went on to face several match-fixing allegations, which forced her to take some time off the pitch and led her to part ways with her father as her coach.
Just before the 2023 Wimbledon Championships, she appointed Pere Riba as her coach, bringing back her glory days. Coco Gauff is presently under the guidance of Brad Gilbert as her coach.
In case you missed it:
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Soumyadeep Mondal
(882 Articles Published)