Brad Gilbert has had an impressive coaching career but no period is more successful than during his time with Andre Agassi.
The 63-year-old coached the former World number one from 1994 to 2002 and he won six of his eight Grand Slams during that period.
Agassi also became Olympic champion with Brad Gilbert as his coach after beating Sergi Bruguera to win the gold at the Atlanta Games in 1996.
But Gilbert was especially happy with his former player’s 1995 season which is quite possibly the best of his career.
30 Jan 2000: Andre Agassi of the USA stands with his Australian Open Trophy next to a bust of Rod Laver with Coach Brad Gilbert and Gil Reyes afte…What did Brad Gilbert say about Andre Agassi’s 1995 season?
There are many highs and lows during the course of Andre Agassi’s compelling career.
After winning his first US Open title in 1994, he backed it up by winning the first of his four Australian Open championships at the start of 1995.
This proved to be a special year for Agassi, where he was at his peak both with his game and physically.
This was highlighted by Gilbert in an interview with Tennis Channel in which he hailed Agassi’s 26-match winning streak in the summer of 1995, which included titles in Washington, Canada, Cincinnati and New Haven.
“It was incredible. It is probably not on the pantheon like it should be because he won 26 in a row and didn’t win the 27th,” Gilbert said.
“Had he won the 27th, it would have been incredible. He just swept the table. He was on another level. It was fun to see.
“The ability to go from a player who made tons of winners and tons of unforced error, to a player who just played unbelievable solid and he would beat you with that, it was beautiful to see.”
Photo credit should read DOUG COLLIER/AFP via Getty ImagesWhat was Andre Agassi’s record in 1995?
In 1995 Agassi produced some exceptional tennis, in which he claimed 73 wins and suffered just nine defeats.
He claimed the Australian Open title and was one match away from winning a second major on home soil at the US Open.
But Agassi was beaten by Pete Sampras at Flushing Meadows, who gained some revenge after losing to his rival at Melbourne Park. This is where Agassi’s 26-win streak came to an end.
Agassi won seven titles in total in 1995, and he also became the World number one for the first time in his career.
Despite having the best record of any player that year, Agassi missed the majority of the indoor season late in the year, which allowed Sampras to pass him in the rankings and finish the season ranked as the World number one.
But it was with Gilbert that Agassi was bale to refine find the balance between being patient, playing the percentage shots and being aggressive from the baseline. Their eight-year-partnership is certainly one of the most successful coaching partnerships of all time.
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