Brad Gilbert is one of the greatest tennis coaches of all time.
The American has guided several players, male and female, to Grand Slam glory.
Gilbert coached Andre Agassi from 1994 to 2002, as the pair won six major titles together.
A year later, Gilbert helped Andy Roddick win his sole Grand Slam title at the US Open.
You can bring one tennis legend out of retirement. Who do you pick and why?
He didn’t win another Grand Slam as a coach for 20 years, until Coco Gauff won her first major at Flushing Meadows.
Having achieved as much success as he has, Gilbert certainly knows what he’s talking about.
During the latest episode of ‘The Big T Podcast‘, Gilbert shared the one tennis rule he wants to see changed.
Brad Gilbert calls for ‘ball toss’ rule change
The three hosts, Gilbert, CoCo Vandeweghe, and Danielle Collins, were asked to name their ‘tennis pet peeves’.
“If I’m tennis commissioner, one rule change, it’s the easiest thing, it’s ridiculous,” said Gilbert.
If you could change one rule in tennis what would it be and why?
“If you throw up the ball toss and don’t hit it, you get one mulligan in the match.
“The serious ball toss catchers, who catch 25, 30, 40 tosses in a match, sometimes two in a row, and no shot clock violation!
“I think it should be throw up the toss, and if you don’t hit it, it’s a fault.”
Gilbert believes players should be permitted one ‘re-toss’ per match, before they start receiving faults.
Former Australian Open finalist Collins agreed with Gilbert.
“That’s a serious pet peeve of mine,” she said.
“That’s jail time for me!
“If you’re going to keep fooling with your toss… You either have your ball under control, or you don’t.”
Both Gilbert and Collins want to see the rule changed, but it’s unlikely we will see an amendment to the ‘ball toss’ law anytime soon…
What other rules does Brad Gilbert want changed?
Never afraid to voice his opinion, Gilbert has proposed several different rule changes over the years.
During the 2025 Miami Open, Gilbert shared his thoughts on the injury time-out rule.
“Just my two cents, you should not be allowed to get treatment in the middle of a game, especially on your opponent’s serve,” he said.
“If you are to receive treatment there, you should forfeit the game, and then you see the trainer. Also end of sets, serving for the match opponent should not be allowed to get injury TO.”
Gilbert’s comments were in reaction to Amanda Anisimova’s injury time out vs Mirra Andreeva.
Anisimova ended up winning the match, ending Andreeva’s 13-match winning streak.
Later in the year, Gilbert called for another rule to be introduced, as players struggled with the heat in Cincinnati.
“There isn’t a heat rule, I believe, at the ATP Tour level. The WTA has something that there is a 10-minute break after two sets,” he said.
“[There] should definitely be something if too extreme, no play, like they have in Melbourne, or if over heat index, 10 mins break after two sets.”
The heat caused some worrying scenes in Cincinnati.
Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech collapsed to the floor during his defeat to Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Luckily for Rinderknech, Gilbert’s prayers were answered, as the ATP Tour introduced a new heat rule ahead of the 2026 season.
Gilbert called for another rule to be implemented during the 2025 US Open.
Frustrated with the number of retirements, Gilbert suggested players should be forbidden from competing the week after a withdrawal.
“I do get totally annoyed now about players pulling a rip cord [retiring] in the middle of a match, and then they play next week,” said Gilbert.
“There should be a rule against that if you pull out of a match, you can’t play next week.”
That rule is unlikely to be added anytime soon, but perhaps it will be something the tour looks at in the future.
Receive exclusive tennis news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
