"Learning how to win when you're average" - Brad Gilbert, coach of Coco Gauff, opens up on "winning ugly"
ATPSaturday, 20 July 2024 at 16:59
Former World No.4 Brad Gilbert had a successful career as a professional tennis player, and now the American has made an equally thriving role as a coach on both the ATP and WTA Tour.
The 62-year old currently works with American prodigy Coco Gauff, and was instrumental in her winning her maiden Grand Slam title at the US Open last year. Having also worked with the likes of Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick and Andy Murray, Gilbert has proven his coaching prowess with Gauff, Roddick and Agassi all winning Majors under his tutelage.
Gilbert talks winning ugly and next American men's champion
The California native is the author the book Winning Ugly, which gives tips on how an average player can defeat a more skilled opponent and better the average player's mental game. In a recent interview, he spoke about whether he saw anyone in today's game who still used the approach highlighted in his book.
"Yeah, it still happens, you know, to be a great player and to be a successful player, you always have to figure out how to win matches when things aren’t going well," replied Gilbert. "And that’s probably still one of the most crucial elements to being a great player: learning how to win when you’re average. It’s easy to win when you’re having a great day. But it’s figuring out a way to win when you’re not at your best, (that) is the most important type of winning. And it still matters today."
The American was also asked if he believed any American man could lift a Grand Slam title in the near future.
"Let’s hope so," said Gilbert. "I mean, obviously, it’s been 82 slams since an American man has won a title, which was in 2003, Andy Roddick. So we would love to end that. On the women’s side, you know we’ve had way more success. We have four American men in the top 20 but obviously we would like to have somebody be winning a major and hopefully this we have a bunch of good young players. Hopefully it will happen in the next five years."
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