Brad Gilbert

Brad Gilbert, born on August 9, 1961, in Oakland, California, began playing tennis at the age of four. His early career saw him excel at Foothill College from 1980 to 1982, where he won the California Junior College Singles Championship and the U.S. Amateur Hardcourt Championship. He also earned a gold medal in doubles and a silver medal in singles at the 1981 Maccabiah Games. After transferring to Pepperdine University in 1982, he became an All-American and reached the NCAA Championship finals before turning professional that same year. Throughout his 13-year playing career, Gilbert was known for his strategic approach to the game, capturing 20 singles titles and achieving a career-high singles ranking of world No. 4 in 1990. Notable victories include his defeat of World No. 2 John McEnroe in 1986 and winning the 1989 Cincinnati Masters by beating four future Hall of Famers: Pete Sampras, Michael Chang, Boris Becker, and Stefan Edberg. He also secured a singles bronze medal at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul.

Following his retirement as a player in 1994, Gilbert established himself as one of the sport’s leading coaches and analysts. He famously coached Andre Agassi from 1994 to 2002, guiding him to six Grand Slam titles, a period during which Agassi referred to Gilbert as “the greatest coach of all time.” Gilbert then coached Andy Roddick, helping him win the 2003 US Open title and achieve a year-end No. 1 ranking. His coaching career continued with Andy Murray from 2006 to 2007, during which Murray reached a No. 8 world ranking. He has also worked with other professional tennis players such as Kei Nishikori, Sam Querrey, and most recently, Coco Gauff, contributing to her major win at the 2023 US Open and two WTA 1000 titles in the first two months of their partnership.

Parallel to his coaching endeavors, Gilbert became a prominent television analyst for ESPN, providing commentary and insights into major tennis events. He is also the author of the best-selling book “Winning Ugly: Mental Warfare in Tennis – Lessons from a Master” (1994), which offers tactical advice for outmaneuvering more skilled opponents. His second book, “I’ve Got Your Back,” was co-authored with James Kaplan in 2005. Gilbert has been inducted into several Halls of Fame, including the USTA Northern California Hall of Fame, the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, and the Pepperdine Athletics Hall of Fame. He also served as a coach and trainer for the cast of the 2024 film “Challengers.”