Coco Gauff opened up about the influence of veteran coach Brad Gilbert on her tennis career, considering her stellar rise since she started working with him.
The experience of Brad Gilbert in professional tennis is huge as he coached some of the biggest names in the sport. He's been an amazing influence on many players and we're currently seeing it in real-time with Gauff.
She talked about why she started working with him in the past, explaining that his experience helps her less experienced coach, Pere Riba. They all clicked together, and it's worked out amazing so far as Gauff won three trophies under the new team.
The most important was the US Open trophy, which will be a defining moment in her career. While continuing her tremendous run at the 2023 China Open in Beijing, Gauff talked a bit about the influence Gilbert has on her.
Yeah, I think he obviously has a lot of experience in the game. I feel like he knows the things to say in the tough moments in the match sometimes. We have two different personalities. Brad, he likes to say a lot. I'm more someone who can be stubborn in a way.
I think being with him has allowed me to open my mind up to accept advice more. I don't know, just the way he says it makes you want to do it. The way that him and Pere work, honestly I don't know how they work together, but obviously they do well. They communicate a lot when I'm not there.
There are some obvious changes in the way Gauff approaches tennis and it's a bit more modern using her athleticism to attack more so than defend. She's wanted to play that way for a while and her two coaches being in sync greatly helps.
I think the biggest thing I feel like they've done well is both of their messages have always been the same, so I know they probably talk a lot, not in front of me, before they come to me with a game plan or a new idea or something that I need to work on. I feel like the whole team is communicating well and we're all on the same page.
Sometimes when you have two coaches, one as a coach, one as a consultant, sometimes things can be left and right or black and white. I think they've been working well to together to kind of meet in the middle and help me prepare best for my matches.
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