Coco Gauff Fires Coach of 14 Months Brad Gilbert in Sudden Move as Tennis Veteran Bids Adieu With Heartfelt Message

The tennis world never truly takes a break, even after the Grand Slam season wraps up. Just when fans thought they could catch their breath, a sudden move from the Coco Gauff camp has everyone commenting on the incident, though no one’s stunned. The young American sensation has decided to part ways with her coach Brad Gilbert. The partnership between the two lasted for only 14 months. Remember, Gilbert had joined the Gauff camp in July 2023 as the consultant before being appointed as the coach in November.

The former pro also witnessed Gauff clinch her first and only Grand Slam title so far in the US Open last year. The news about their split was shared by Gilbert himself on X. Taking to the platform, the 63-year-old thanked Gauff in a heartfelt message. “Thanks 🙏 to  @CocoGauff and the entire team for an absolutely amazing summer run in 2023 and for 14 months of incredible team effort.”

Continuing, he wished the 20-year-old good luck for her future endeavors. “Coco, at just 20 years young, your future is incredibly bright, and I wish you nothing but continued success ahead. I’m excited for the next chapter in my Coaching career. 👊👍💪🎾.” Remember, this comes in the backdrop of a subpar season that Gauff witnessed, as she failed to achieve much success this year.

Coco Gauff failed to witness much success throughout the season, and except for the doubles title at the French Open, she struggled to establish her dominance. American hard courts witnessed the star struggling even more. She was whisked out in the 2nd Canadian Open match and the 1st match itself of her Cincinnati Masters campaign. She also failed to defend her US Open title and lost to Emma Navarro in the fourth round.

Gauff also lost her spot as the World No. 2 to Aryna Sabalenka. Coco’s frustration against Gilbert was visible many times this season. She had a verbal tussle with him during her fourth-round clash against Emma Navarro at Wimbledon. Trailing behind in the match, the American looked towards her box during the second set, wanting some help.

“Tell me something. You guys aren’t saying anything,” Coco Gauff shouted in frustration. While a puzzled Brad Gilbert tried to give her a plan B through gestures, it didn’t work out, eventually. Coming back to the present day, amidst all this chaos, she has responded to the major tennis break-up. “Thank you @bgtennisnation! We had an incredible run and I wish you all the best in the future!”

While the fanbase awaits a detailed statement, interestingly, this is not the first time Gauff and Gilbert have parted ways…

When Brad Gilbert parted ways with Coco Gauff for Zendaya!

Brad Gilbert and Coco Gauff have witnessed situations of split in the past as well, but it was not as intense as the current one. The duo took a break earlier this year when the American coach decided to train Zendaya for her movie ‘Challengers,’ although it lasted for a very short period. Gauff, however, had clarified the situation with a quick response back then. “No, he did not choose Zendaya over me!” she said with a smile at a press conference.

“I think I kind of told him to take a step back, especially with starting with J.C., I wanted him to just be able to work on it on his own and play a tournament by himself.” For now, it would be interesting to see what would lie ahead for Brad Gilbert. Will this end of the partnership also mean an end to his coaching career? Well, only time will tell.