French Open: Coco Gauff Lays Bare Surprising Relaxations in Brad Gilbert’s Coaching Dynamics After Reuniting With Old Team Member

“I am really happy with how everything has been going.” Coco Gauff has been on an impressive upward trajectory at the French Open, dominating the first three rounds in straight sets. As she gears up for her next challenge, much of her success can be credited to her coaching team, featuring Brad Gilbert and Jean-Christophe Faurel. Interestingly, since Faurel’s return to the Coco camp, the spotlight on Gilbert seems to have dimmed.

The 20-year-old recently shed light on how Brad has enjoyed some relaxation since Faurel’s rehiring. Speaking at the post-match interview after winning the third round against Dayana Yastremska, Gauff explained how JC and Brad are contributing to her game. When asked about the team dynamics with JC coming in and what she gets from each of them, Gauff explained: “They collaborate on, you know, the things that I need to work on. JC does a lot of day-to-day, you know, things, because, you know, Brad isn’t at every single tournament, and so he(Jean) does a lot of day-to-day drills, like, you know, being there day-to-day.”

Brad Gilbert, hired by the American sensation in July 2023, has been unable to accompany Gauff on certain occasions, such as the 2024 Stuttgart Open, where JC had replaced him. “I think I told him to kind of take a step back, especially starting with J.C,” Gauff had revealed on Brad’s absence at SO. Gauff further went on in the current press that the workload for Gilbert has been reduced, allowing him to focus on overseeing things and providing scouting reports. “Brad is just somebody that kind of oversees everything and I think he is really good at scouting reports and making the game simple,” Gauff exclaimed.

Meanwhile, Jean has taken on increased responsibility since his rehiring in early April this year. This is the second stint of the 43-year-old in the Gauff camp, after he “responded positively” to Coco’s rejoining request. Their first stint, lasting from March 2019 to December 2020, saw Gauff reaching great heights, evidenced by her significant achievements:

• Youngest qualifier at Wimbledon in June 2019, less than 3-months after Faurel’s hiring
• Defeated Venus Williams in the first round and reached the fourth round of Wimbledon 2019
• Won her maiden WTA tour singles title and lifted the Upper Austria Linz trophy in 2019

While their association in the first stint was relatively short-lived, the reigning US Open champion opened up about the split, citing visa-related issues for Faurel. Gauff explained, “It actually wasn’t either of our choices to stop working together.” JC has also expressed great regard for Coco in the past, claiming Gauff to be one of the finest players in the sport. Their renewed partnership, filled with mutual respect and admiration, adds another layer of excitement to Gauff’s promising journey.

Did you know Jean’s been guiding hand for Coco Gauff since she was 14?

While Gauff and Faurel’s professional relationship officially began in 2019, the 43-year-old had been observing her game since she was just 10. Speaking to Olympics.com, Faurel mentioned that from the moment he saw Coco at that young age, he knew she would become a great athlete. “She’s clearly the fastest and most explosive player on the circuit by a long way. She’s a real competitive player, she’s a winning player,” Jean had remarked about Gauff earlier.

However, the duo has been working together since Gauff was 14. Faurel was part of her setup team in 2019 when she famously defeated Venus Williams at the age of 15. Gauff also benefited from JC’s guidance when she defeated the former world number 1 Naomi Osaka in straight sets at the 2020 Australian Open’s third round.

Although Brad’s involvement may have diminished somewhat, it remains crucial for both JC and Gilbert to continue guiding Gauff. With Faurel’s return reigniting their successful past collaboration and Gilbert’s seasoned insights, Coco Gauff stands well-equipped to conquer new heights with confidence and resilience. “She has this winning instinct, which is a huge quality,” added JC on Gauff. The whole world has seen it!