Brad Gilbert to coach Kei Nishikori

HunterST

HunterST

Hall of Fame
Just saw on BG's twitter that he's going to start coaching the up and coming Japanese player, Kei Nishikori.

What do you guys think of this pairing?

I think it might work well, because Nishikori doesn't have any big weapons, but he's quick, consistent, and has good placement. That's very similar to Gilbert's profile. Maybe BG can help him strategize and use his tools effectively.
 
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rovex said:
Did you see Wimbledon? He got a bit of a spanking from nadal
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Just coming off injury layoff.....very Long layoff that is. Kei has one of the biggest forehands in the game for a little guy. and move as well as Nadal or Federer.
 
HunterST said:
COOL.

Can we stop nitpicking at the accuracy of my post and talk about how Gilbert's coaching will affect his play?
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The problem w/ Nishikori has never been talent, at least not recently, but health. If he can stay healthy, I think Gilbert could help him. He's still relatively young (20) and can still become a decent top 20 player eventually.
 
HunterST said:
COOL.

Can we stop nitpicking at the accuracy of my post and talk about how Gilbert's coaching will affect his play?
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Hunter it isn't nickpicking. Oftentimes, ignorance springs racists. it is same as saying what is difference between boris becker and tim henman.

Anyhow, Hunter, i will tell you that Brad will do wonders for Kei. Kei needs to remain healthy but Brad will help there too since Brad knows how to keep his pupil in top shape.
Brad will make the Most impact in Kei being in top shape and maintaining top work ethics that is most Efficient.
 
Fedace said:
but didn't reach his best because of injuries.. Nadal said Kei is top 10 if remains healthy and he was afraid to play him in the grand slam final.
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Nadal talks about every low lever opponent as if he's GOAT at the very least.

"for sure very dangerous forchand, no?" Said Nadal rgarding the 108th ranked player in the world. "This player beat Chandy back in junior, no? So very dangerous for me fore sure, need to play very well to chave my chances."
 
P_Agony said:
Nadal talks about every low lever opponent as if he's GOAT at the very least.

"for sure very dangerous forchand, no?" Said Nadal rgarding the 108th ranked player in the world. "This player beat Chandy back in junior, no? So very dangerous for me fore sure, need to play very well to chave my chances."
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Kei took Nadal to 3 sets and Almost beat him in Queens. that was the year Nadal won Wimbledon.
 
Fedace said:
Kei took Nadal to 3 sets and Almost beat him in Queens. that was the year Nadal won Wimbledon.
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That was also Kei's first and last great performance. Don't get me wrong, the kid's got talent, as is Dimitrov (even more so), but this kids have yet to prove they can play in the big league. Even Gulbis is not there yet.
 
Fedace said:
but didn't reach his best because of injuries.. Nadal said Kei is top 10 if remains healthy and he was afraid to play him in the grand slam final.
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Nadal can say whatever He can, even if I didn't read or didn't hear from him, He is no top 10.
As for the thread, Nishikori is pusher and has no game, I doubt BG will give him power, big serves and big forehands.
He is limited and has not much to grow.
So it is not going to happen much.
Let me just tell you guys from now, I do not like his tennis at all, it is as ugly as it could be, nothing about this guy impresses me.
 
Buckethead said:
Nadal can say whatever He can, even if I didn't read or didn't hear from him, He is no top 10.
As for the thread, Nishikori is pusher and has no game, I doubt BG will give him power, big serves and big forehands.
He is limited and has not much to grow.
So it is not going to happen much.
Let me just tell you guys from now, I do not like his tennis at all, it is as ugly as it could be, nothing about this guy impresses me.
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WOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW. Has NO power ????????????????? Kei has HUGE forehand and decent pop on the serve for a little guy. and Backhand that can hurt players even though it isn't in the league with guys like Cilic.
Ohhhhhhhhhh,,,,and he has SPEED like Nadal. and That is a Weapon too.:)
 
P_Agony said:
That was also Kei's first and last great performance. Don't get me wrong, the kid's got talent, as is Dimitrov (even more so), but this kids have yet to prove they can play in the big league. Even Gulbis is not there yet.
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He actually made the 4R of the USO in 08, beating Monaco and Ferrer, who was #4 at the time. So that wasn't his 'last' great performance.
 
P_Agony said:
That was also Kei's first and last great performance. Don't get me wrong, the kid's got talent, as is Dimitrov (even more so), but this kids have yet to prove they can play in the big league. Even Gulbis is not there yet.
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Not true at all. At the 2008 US Open, Nishikori got to the fourth round when he was ranked 126 in the world, beating Juan Monaco in his first round match. In the third round, he beat David Ferrer by the score of 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 2-6, 7-5. Ferrer was world number 4 at the time and had reached the US Open semi finals the previous year on top of being runner-up at the 2007 Masters Cup in Shanghai.
 
In all seriousness, I can see the Gilbert and Kei pairing working out well......If Kei can actually stay healthy enough to play for a long stretch.
 
I like it. He's solid everywhere now but I can see him developing that fh into a big weapon in another year or 2. He's got the kind of racquet head speed and ball control where he can win more points with that stroke as his game develops.
 
Mustard said:
Not true at all. At the 2008 US Open, Nishikori got to the fourth round when he was ranked 126 in the world, beating Juan Monaco in his first round match. In the third round, he beat David Ferrer by the score of 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 2-6, 7-5. Ferrer was world number 4 at the time and had reached the US Open semi finals the previous year on top of being runner-up at the 2007 Masters Cup in Shanghai.
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Pretty much what I said in less words. :?
 
bolo said:
I like it. He's solid everywhere now but I can see him developing that fh into a big weapon in another year or 2. He's got the kind of racquet head speed and ball control where he can win more points with that stroke as his game develops.
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you need more than one weapon so what will the other weapon be ?
 
My favorite player with BG lol im hoping to see kei at a whole new level!! I think they should try working on a S&V thing for kei o.o Also who doesnt love kei's jumping forehands and backhands?! =D
 
Try the Kei Nishkori Facebook. Comment from Kie:

Kei Nishikori, I made a couple of changes to my coaching team for 2011. I am starting to work full-time with Bollettieri Elite coach Dante Bottini. In addition to that, Brad Gilbert will consult the team and come with me to about 15 tournaments during the 2011 season. Very excited about this move. Brad was in Bradenton last week ...
 
Mustard said:
Not true at all. At the 2008 US Open, Nishikori got to the fourth round when he was ranked 126 in the world, beating Juan Monaco in his first round match. In the third round, he beat David Ferrer by the score of 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 2-6, 7-5. Ferrer was world number 4 at the time and had reached the US Open semi finals the previous year on top of being runner-up at the 2007 Masters Cup in Shanghai.
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Correct, I forgot all about it. But still, these "promises" like Nishikori and Dimitrov. They place nice and pretty, and I'm sure most would agree these are talented guys, but they still have miles before they can be a real threat to the top 10.
 
Sorry, but what exactly does Brad Gilbert bring to the table? Apart from the unhappy liaison with Murray, what else has he achieved as a coach?

Point me to where I can find the info because at the mo, I'm not sure what the deal is with BG.
 
forthegame said:
Sorry, but what exactly does Brad Gilbert bring to the table? Apart from the unhappy liaison with Murray, what else has he achieved as a coach?

Point me to where I can find the info because at the mo, I'm not sure what the deal is with BG.
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Being a Thomas Muster fan, Brad Gilbert is hardly my favourite guy in tennis, but Gilbert was Agassi's coach from 1994-2002 and Roddick's coach from 2003-2004. Gilbert was coach of Agassi for 6 of Agassi's 8 career slam titles and he was coach of Roddick during the period when Roddick won his only slam title and had his best form ever.

Gilbert is a very good coach, although putting up with his constant chatting is probably the biggest challenge of all.
 
P_Agony said:
Correct, I forgot all about it. But still, these "promises" like Nishikori and Dimitrov. They place nice and pretty, and I'm sure most would agree these are talented guys, but they still have miles before they can be a real threat to the top 10.
Click to expand...

I don't think you can put Nishikori in the same category as Dimitrov or even Gulbis. He's done more than Dimitrov has at the tour level (actually won a title in 08 ). He's about a year younger than Gulbis, but has had nowhere near the level of hype as Gulbis. It's not like Nishikori hasn't performed, he's been injured and missed most of 2009. That being said he's still very young and has the chance to improve. I don't think he has 'miles' to go, at least not in relation to Dimitrov who's done nothing at the main tour level. Am I saying he'll be top 10 next year? No. But he should become a top 50 player if he stays healthy, and progress from there.
 
I think its a good move for Kei as well. BG knows how to work with his players and get the most amount of potential out of them possible.

Kei has a bright future and I think BG is a good match for him.
 
so how is gilbert going to communicate with kei? I rmb his english being very bad in an interview and in earlier ones he got a translator i believe.. unless his english has improved when hes resting for his injury.
 
MajinX said:
so how is gilbert going to communicate with kei? I rmb his english being very bad in an interview and in earlier ones he got a translator i believe.. unless his english has improved when hes resting for his injury.
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Ongoing English verbal communication training was supposed to be part of his LTA Murray deal. Hopefully that will make it easier to perform his duty as part of Kei's coach detail.
 
Fedace said:
Hunter it isn't nickpicking. Oftentimes, ignorance springs racists. it is same as saying what is difference between boris becker and tim henman.

Anyhow, Hunter, i will tell you that Brad will do wonders for Kei. Kei needs to remain healthy but Brad will help there too since Brad knows how to keep his pupil in top shape.
Brad will make the Most impact in Kei being in top shape and maintaining top work ethics that is most Efficient.
Click to expand...

Ignorance also brings grammatical problems lol ;)

yeah, the #1s aren't too far off when it comes to player evaluation. Fed says Rafa will get #1, Rafa did. Rafa says Kei is top 10, he will be, and BG will only help him
 
MajinX said:
so how is gilbert going to communicate with kei? I rmb his english being very bad in an interview and in earlier ones he got a translator i believe.. unless his english has improved when hes resting for his injury.
Click to expand...

Are you kidding? :shock: Nishikori lives in Florida since he was 14, how come he can't speak english?
 
P_Agony said:
That was also Kei's first and last great performance. Don't get me wrong, the kid's got talent, as is Dimitrov (even more so), but this kids have yet to prove they can play in the big league. Even Gulbis is not there yet.
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He won his first ATP final against Blake at 18. He beat Ferrer in the 4R of the US Open. He obviously has talent. What else do you think is being discussed here? His eligibility for the Hall of Fame?

It's annoying when people talk about up and coming players and others interject with negative talk about "what they've done". If we're talking about up and comers then we're talking about potential, what 'could' be. It's a simple context to understand.

I wonder why Gilbert didn't just say "Nishi-who? What the hell has he done?".
 
Japan's tennis fans are excited!

Brad coaching news (traveling coach) excites Japan's tennis fans.


I have watched all his matches of US Open in 2008 and 2010. Kei is an aggressive talented player. He needs more focus and mental coolness (he often throws points away) and should avoid hitting unnecessary shots like Air-K (jumping forehand).

I think Brad is an excellent choice for Kei who is a good listener. Brad can give a lot of tips to Kei how to play mental games like he did to Agassi.
 
Have to say I think this is a great pairing. For a player who's strength relies on speed and grinding, BG should be able to help Kei in that aspect, while also helping him turn his forehand into a weapon. Looking forward to how this unfolds...
 
Japanese people are very calm and collected. Brad with his gibberish talk and his big ego, I think the poor guy will go crazy and dump him just like Murray and Andy R did.:shock:
 
According to Kei's facebook,,,,,,Brad is not going to be his full time coach. but he is just going to show up to some of Kei's tournaments and coach as needed.
 
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