“You don’t have to be the best in the world every time you go out there,” was a piece of advice that Andre Agassi shared. But who did he receive it from? It was his former coach and a renowned mentor in the tennis community, Brad Gilbert. After spending a notable period with the tennis legend, Gilbert introduced several other renowned figures to the gates of glory. However, years after ending his partnership with Agassi, the mentor recently revealed something that he himself learned from Agassi.

Brad Gilbert recently reflected on his coaching journey with Andre Agassi and admitted that the concept of “peaking” during key tournaments had eluded him until Agassi introduced it. He explained, “Andre was the one I never, I mean, my biggest regret as a player to a coach, I never understood this word, and Andre was the one that presented it to me because it was like it was over my head. Was peak, and I’m like, peak, thinking about every single week, you know, good or bad, you know, like I’m just going, and sometimes you play bad because, you know, maybe I was tired, but I didn’t think about, so Andre could, literally, I want to be ready for eight weeks out to make this run. And I was like, my brain would back up seven weeks thinking about the tournament before. So once I got that, and it was all about him learning to win majors. It made me a way better coach.”

Gilbert coached Agassi from 1994 to 2002, a period filled with significant milestones. Agassi claimed his first Australian Open title in 1995 and became the first unseeded man to win the US Open in 1994. In 1996, Agassi added an Olympic gold medal to his achievements. Gilbert played a vital role in Agassi completing a career Grand Slam, a feat only a few players have achieved. After a challenging slump in 1997, Agassi, under Gilbert’s guidance, returned to the World No. 1 ranking.

The coach-player duo thrived because of their shared drive for excellence. While Gilbert learned from Agassi’s approach to long-term planning, he helped Agassi rediscover his confidence and consistency. Their partnership not only shaped Agassi’s career but also turned Gilbert into a better coach, with a deeper understanding of strategy and mental preparation. This blend of mutual growth fueled their extraordinary success during their eight-year collaboration.

This partnership also developed a sense of mutual respect between the two. Even Andre Agassi previously talked about his respect for the ex-coach.

Andre Agassi once reflected on Brad Gilbert’s transformative coaching philosophy

Amidst the news of Gilbert parting ways with Coco Gauff, Andre Agassi shared a profound lesson he learned from his former coach. Agassi, an eight-time Grand Slam champion, has often credited Gilbert for reshaping his tennis mindset. In a video titled Andre Agassi: Bravery to Reach Potential, he revisited a mantra from Gilbert that significantly impacted his career. “I don’t have to be good, I have to just be better than you,” Gilbert had said to Agassi.

This philosophy, focused on outperforming opponents rather than chasing perfection, helped Agassi embrace a more strategic and confident approach on the court. Agassi explained how tennis uniquely tests an athlete’s character due to its demanding nature. “I am not sure a sport can test somebody’s character more than tennis. The fact that it’s a one-on-one engagement, the fact that everything I do affects you do…The fact that there’s no one to pass the ball to, you’re constantly pushing yourself to live on the edges of anything you’re capable of, physically, mentally, emotionally,” he said.

The intense individuality of the sport requires players to consistently push their boundaries, a challenge Gilbert’s coaching helped Agassi navigate successfully. Gilbert’s emphasis on targeting opponents’ weaknesses rather than striving for personal perfection changed Agassi’s outlook.

The coach encouraged him to focus on process over results, teaching him to control the odds and outthink competitors. Agassi wrote about this in his autobiography Open and frequently credits Gilbert’s insights for his success. This mindset helped Agassi become one of the most dominant players in the game, showcasing how a shift in perspective can unlock true potential.

After parting ways with Coco Gauff, Gilbert is currently not involved in coaching and is working as an analyst, but tennis fans would want him to be back working with a top player sooner rather than later.