Coco Gauff was crowned at the US Open a few days ago, achieving her first Grand Slam, but the American is not traveling alone on her path to fame. Gauff has Brad Gilbert and the Spaniard Pere Riba at his side so they can cut the diamond that he is and with whom they get along so well.
Gilbert It is a real help for the teenager. Andre Agassi’s former coach worked Coco Gauff Since August, the American has won 18 of 19 games, including the title US Open as the final climax. In addition, the team joined Pere Riba, who has adapted wonderfully to Gilbert’s way of working. In a recent interview for the WTA, the American spoke about his way of working, Gauff’s progress and his good relationship with Riba.
Should Gauff improve his drive?
“When I started with Andy Murray in 2006, everyone told me, ‘He’s just an idiot.’ And he still wins. Everyone mentions Coco’s right-wing criticism, and yet she wins. “I’m definitely not worried about that at all.”
His distribution of work with Pere Riba
“Pere is very detail-oriented, he brings a lot of structure to training and warm-ups. And we’ll discuss it.”
How did you help improve Gauff’s game?
“I’ve never had so many text messages over so many days telling me, ‘Fix his forehand!’ Something like this cannot be fixed spontaneously. I just felt like there were a few small changes that were very workable, like returning the serve from a much deeper position and playing a little more with the legs. Make decisions.”
His mantra: Explore weaknesses and strengths
“I think the scouting is incredible. He knows all the players, he knows how to play against them. I think the scouting reports are pretty accurate,” Gauff said of Gilbert after winning the US Open.
What did you see in Sabalenka’s matches to be able to beat her in the final?
“I train based on instinct, based on feeling. But there are a lot of things I learn from watching games and players adapting. These are some of the things that analytics won’t tell you. They give you all this data, but they don’t take into account a player’s strengths and weaknesses. And that the other player might do something different than what the data says.”
Gauff came back three times on the way to the title
“It solved many problems amazingly and was incredibly resilient. I feel like the game really changed against Sabalenka with the score at 1-2 in the third set when Coco hit a backhand crosscourt pass and the crowd erupted. And by the change you could see that things were changing a little. Then in the next game he got a break and his first lead of the game, and the crowd went wild again. Then suddenly there’s a way back in your head.”
