Andre Agassi's ex-coach Brad Gilbert picks his 'greatest coaching ever', reveals details about 'legendary night' after win

Brad Gilbert, Andre Agassi's ex-coach, has talked about the 1999 French Open, which Agassi won under his tutelage. It was Agassi's fourth Major win, but his first in over four years, as he struggled with a series of injuries and personal issues that dragged his ranking down as low as No. 141 in 1997. Those four years also coincided with arch-rival Pete Sampras's peak.

It was also Agassi's first French Open win. He'd lost finals to Andres Gomez and Jim Courier in 1990 and 1991, and it seemed a Major win on clay would elude him. However, seeded 13, Agassi battled through to the final, where he met Ukrainian Andrei Medvedev. Agassi was blown away in the opening two sets, 1-6, 2-6, but a rain break allowed him to pull himself together and storm back to a historic win.

Brad Gilbert was Agassi's coach then and gave his thoughts on the tournament to The Tennis Channel's YouTube channel. Gilbert considers his stewardship of Agassi at that tournament represented his finest coaching achievement (From 10.16):

"The French of 99 - I feel like I did my greatest coaching ever, just to get Andre to come back - literally we hadn't hit a ball for six days. He'd been hurt, and I felt like that was my best coaching to get him to go there, and he had to battle through five matches that tournament."

Gilbert also relates that the weight of the moment prompted Agassi, his team, and several other top players to enjoy a memorable night out in Paris:

"I would say that Andre winning the '99 French - we had a blowout night - a night for the ages - we threw down quite a few cocktails, and had a legendary night with some legendary players in Paris. It was a fun night to say the least."

Andre Agassi would go on to win the US Open later that same year. The American captured three more Major titles in 2000, 2001, and 2003 - all in Australia.

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Andre Agassi and Brad Gilbert made a formidable tennis team

Tennis: Tennis-Stars auf dem Oktoberfest - Source: Getty

Gilbert is best known for his association with Agassi, but the American also coached Andy Murray, Andy Roddick, and Kei Nishikori. More recently, Gilbert has coached Coco Gauff to her US Open title in 2023.

In 2019, Andre Agassi was invited to honor Gilbert at the coach's induction into the Northern California Tennis Hall of Fame. He was effusive in his praise, per InsideTennis.com:

"The first time we got to No. 1 together, it was a great journey, but I did have a lot of demons. [Brad Gilbert] believed in me and his faith gave me the belief, the desire, the hope and the prayers that somehow, maybe, despite not having chosen my life, I could take ownership of it and start again. And we did."

Brad Gilbert is now 63 years old - he was a former top player, winning 20 ATP singles titles and once ranked as high as World No. 4 in 1990. He also brought back a bronze medal from the 1988 Olympics in Seoul.