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Coco Gauff's ex-coach, Brad Gilbert, recently recounted the biggest mistake of his career. The renowned mentor opened up about how he underestimated the challenge against compatriot rival Tim Mayotte, finally ending up with a bronze medal back in 1988. He also remembered taking Mayotte down in their next showdown that took place at a tour-level event.
Brad Gilbert won the bronze medal in men’s singles at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. The win turned out to be memorable as it was the first Games to feature tennis as a full medal sport since 1924. The American faced a disappointing 6–4, 6–4, 6–3 defeat to Tim Mayotte in an all-American showdown. He booked a slot in the semifinals by defeating Martín Jaite in the quarterfinals. This was Gilbert’s only Olympic appearance, as he did not compete in the 1992 Barcelona Games.
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After almost 25 years of marking an end to his professional career, Gilbert recently opened up about a perception that cost him the opportunity to claim a gold medal instead. Speaking in a conversation with Tennis Channel, the 63-year-old mentioned how he presumed his victory over Mayotte, which resulted in a lack of strength.
"My draw was Tim Mayotte, and I was set to play him. Mayotte had just beaten Edberg, and for some reason—coming off a long injury—I didn’t really give myself a chance. I got ahead of myself. I literally thought, 'I’ve got this gold,' and I made the fatal mistake of cashing the check before it was in my hand." he said (21:40).
He further admitted to not giving his best in the semifinal showdown, along with remembering a follow-up match against Mayotte where he easily took him down.
"I went out and played a woeful match against my teammate Tim Mayotte. I lost. All the matches then were best of five, and I lost 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. The courts were lightning-fast. I would have lost to Edberg in that bronze medal playoff. But the sad thing was, like three weeks later at Båstad, I thumped Mayotte in maybe the round of 16," he added.
Gilbert marked an end to his professional career as a player in 1995 but didn't cut ties from the sport. The American built a massive portfolio by coaching legendary players, including Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick, Coco Gauff and others.
Coco Gauff's ex-coach Brad Gilbert makes an optimistic claim about the rising talent in the US
Coco Gauff's former coach, Brad Gilbert, recently opened up about the rapidly improving scope of U.S. men's tennis. The renowned mentor expressed optimism about the new faces emerging on the ATP tour, along with applauding their potential to crack the competition. This came amid Frances Tiafoe, Ben Shelton, Taylor Fritz and other players' rise in rankings.
"We have a lot of guys that are quality players. And now there are younger ones, too. They are all getting a lot better. That’s why we're a lot deeper (the U.S. has 10 men in the Top 100 during the first week in April). Sometimes the results aren't exactly what you want, but you’ve got to keep pressing on," he told Tennis.com.
Brad Gilbert's partnership with Coco Gauff came to an end in September 2024. The former US Open champion faced persistent issues with her serve and decided to bring in Matt Dally to work on the technical areas. Ever since then, Gilbert hasn't collaborated with any other players but remains actively connected with the sport as an analyst.
