Andy Roddick's ex-coach Brad Gilbert says the American was 'as good as' Roger Federer in the 2004 Wimbledon final but was 'unlucky'
Andy Roddick's former coach Brad Gilbert recently claimed that the American was unlucky in the 2004 Wimbledon final against Roger Federer. Gilbert, who coached Roddick from 2003 to 2004, shared his thoughts on the matter while appearing on 'The Craig Shapiro Tennis Podcast.'
Brad Gilbert was asked during the podcast what it was like coaching Andy Roddick against Roger Federer, who was a generational talent. Gilbert replied that when he was Roddick's coach, the gap between his level and that of Federer wasn't very large.
"During 2003/2004 the gap wasn't like this, I mean they played four times and Fed won three," Gilbert said.
Gilbert then recounted the 2004 Wimbledon final as being one of the only coaching moments in his career that he wished he could take back. He said that Roddick was just as good as Federer at the time but was rendered "unlucky" due to the rain delays that occurred when the American had the momentum.
"I felt Roddick was as good as Federer at that moment," Gilbert said. "Two-three rain delays in that match where Roddick had the momentum and he was a little bit unlucky."
Federer won the 2004 Wimbledon final 4-6, 7-5, 7-6(3), 6-4.
Brad Gilbert talks about difficulty in coaching Andy Roddick against Roger Federer
Brad Gilbert, who was also Andre Agassi's coach at one point, further opened up about the difficulty of coaching Roddick against a player of Federer's caliber.
Gilbert stated that it was important not to be preoccupied with the perfect circumstances needed to beat a better player. Instead, he believes the focus should be on executing the game plan and designing strategies that challenge the player beyond their comfort level.
The American also stressed on the importance of being adaptable and finding ways to navigate difficult situations rather than following specific instructions.
"It's not about how great this player is, it's about executing your game plan. As a coach when you know your player is up against it a little bit you might design a game plan a little bit out of your comfort level," he said.
Gilbert then emphasized that Andy Roddick was just as skilled as Roger Federer in the 2003-2004 period.
"2003/2004, the gap was very small and if you'd asked me then I felt Roddick was every bit as good," Gilbert said.
Despite being one of the most talked about rivalries in tennis, Roger Federer completely dominated Andy Roddick in the head head-to-head. The Swiss came out on top in 21 of their 24 meetings on the ATP tour.
Most importantly, Federer defeated Roddick in four Grand Slam finals over the course of their respective careers.