Darren Cahill explains how Andre Agassi's former coach is helping Coco Gauff

Darren Cahill has talked about Brad Gilbert, Andre Agassi's former coach, and his significant contribution to Coco Gauff's game development.

Brad Gilbert became part of the coaching team for the 19-year-old Gauff In August 2023. Since this coaching change, Gauff has demonstrated exceptional performance in her initial tournaments. She secured victory in the women's singles category at the Washington Open, followed by a triumphant run at the Cincinnati Masters. Her remarkable journey culminated with her first major championship win at the 2023 US Open.

During a recent interview on the podcast "Advantage Connors," Darren Cahill discussed Brad Gilbert's influence on Coco Gauff's game.

Darren Cahill mentioned that Brad Gilbert is guiding Coco Gauff to focus on the strengths in her game. Coaching, he emphasized, involves instilling belief in the player, demonstrating care, and showing dedication to their improvement, which Gilbert excels at. He also emphasized that whenever you converse with Gilbert, it's quite challenging not to feel inspired and motivated to hit the court and give your best. Gilbert's approach to tennis makes it an enjoyable experience.

“He's making sure she is walking and playing to her best more often. And as you know, a lot of good coaching comes from selling belief and giving that player belief to firstly see that they could just care about them, that they believe in them and they are willing to do whatever it takes to let them become a better tennis player. And Brad is certainly of that nature.

"Whenever you speak to him, it's pretty hard not to put a smile on your face and get on to the court and work your back side off, because that's what he does, he makes tennis fun,” Cahill said.

Coco Gauff clinched her first major title at the 2023 US Open by defeating Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka in the finals. This victory also marked her sixth career title. Gauff's triumph at the US Open has a historic significance, as she became the first teenager to win the trophy since Serena Williams in 1999.

Darren Cahill also discussed the significant role Pere Riba played in Coco Gauff's successful 2023 season

Coco Gauff's remarkable achievements this season have elevated her to a career-high No. 3 in the WTA rankings. She's currently trailing only the No. 1 player, Aryna Sabalenka, and the 2022 US Open champion, Iga Swiatek, who holds the No. 2 spot.

In the same interview, he recognized that credit should be shared not only with Brad Gilbert but also with her coach, Pere Riba, a former Spanish tennis player who has been a part of Coco Gauff's journey since the start of Wimbledon. He emphasized that Riba had been working with Coco for a similar duration as Gilbert, highlighting the importance of having both a skilled coach and a harmonious team environment for the success of a dual coaching approach.

“ But I think some credit also has to go to the other coach who has been with her since the start of Wimbledon. He was with her for pretty much the same time and to make a dual coaching team work, there has to be a great coach and a great environment within the team,” Cahill said.