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Gil Reyes (tennis)
Encyclopedia
Gil Reyes is a fitness trainer
who spent seventeen years as the strength and conditioning trainer for retired tennis player Andre Agassi
, from 1989 until Agassi's retirement in 2006. He was also considered one of Agassi's closest friends and confidants.
before meeting Agassi in 1989. Reyes was their strength coach when they won the 1990 NCAA championships.
After Agassi lost in the fourth round of the 1999 Australian Open
, he and Reyes recommitted to the training regime they had established. Soon after returning to Las Vegas, Reyes asked Agassi for the first time to run up and down a 320-yard hill that Reyes calls "Magic Mountain". The story has become an oft-repeated story of Agassi's commitment and Reyes's motivation. This retooled training regime entailed two hours of court practice, followed by two hours of weight training and then to "Magic Mountain" for a series of sprints. It is believed that Agassi's late career revival would not have been possible without this training regime. Agassi himself said in 2005, at the age of 35, "Gil is the reason why I've won more Slams after the age of 29 than I did before. He's the reason why I'm still out there playing this sport at a time in my life when I can really understand and appreciate it."
Reyes's approach transformed Agassi into a well-conditioned strong athlete. When they first began working together Agassi could bench press 135 pounds. Fourteen years later in 2003, he was benchpressing 350 lbs. Reyes described his job as being "to get [Agassi] to be as good to himself as he is to others." The relationship between Reyes and Agassi was so close that Reyes was sometimes called "the core" of Agassi's team of advisors, friends and family.
Reyes's contributions to Agassi's success were often overlooked in favor of the contributions of coaches like Brad Gilbert
.
In 2001, Agassi named his child Jaden Gil Agassi after his trainer and friend.
have a contract under which he helps train young athletes, such as Fernando Verdasco
, Sania Mirza
and Sam Querrey
; the program is officially called the Adidas Player Development program. The training employed by Reyes consists of the same combination used for Andre Agassi- a combination of court practice, weight training and runs up "Magic Mountain".
Gil Reyes was credited by Fernando Verdasco
for his improved fitness and career-best run to the Australian Open
semifinals in January 2009.
Personal trainer
A personal trainer is a fitness professional involved in exercise prescription and instruction. They motivate clients by setting goals and providing feedback and accountability to clients. Trainers also measure their client's strengths and weaknesses with fitness assessments...
who spent seventeen years as the strength and conditioning trainer for retired tennis player Andre Agassi
Andre Agassi
Andre Kirk Agassi is a retired American professional tennis player and former world no. 1. Generally considered by critics and fellow players to be one of the greatest tennis players of all time, Agassi has been called the best service returner in the history of the game...
, from 1989 until Agassi's retirement in 2006. He was also considered one of Agassi's closest friends and confidants.
Trainer and friend
Gil Reyes was the strength and conditioning coach for the basketball program at the University of Nevada, Las VegasUniversity of Nevada, Las Vegas
University of Nevada-Las Vegas is a public, coeducational university located in the Las Vegas suburb of Paradise, Nevada, USA. The campus is located approximately east of the Las Vegas Strip. The institution includes a Shadow Lane Campus, located just east of the University Medical Center of...
before meeting Agassi in 1989. Reyes was their strength coach when they won the 1990 NCAA championships.
After Agassi lost in the fourth round of the 1999 Australian Open
1999 Australian Open
The 1999 Australian Open was a tennis tournament played on outdoor hard courts at Melbourne Park in Melbourne in Victoria in Australia. It was the 87th edition of the Australian Open and was held from 18 through 31 January 1999. This was the first Grand Slam of the calendar year.In the singles...
, he and Reyes recommitted to the training regime they had established. Soon after returning to Las Vegas, Reyes asked Agassi for the first time to run up and down a 320-yard hill that Reyes calls "Magic Mountain". The story has become an oft-repeated story of Agassi's commitment and Reyes's motivation. This retooled training regime entailed two hours of court practice, followed by two hours of weight training and then to "Magic Mountain" for a series of sprints. It is believed that Agassi's late career revival would not have been possible without this training regime. Agassi himself said in 2005, at the age of 35, "Gil is the reason why I've won more Slams after the age of 29 than I did before. He's the reason why I'm still out there playing this sport at a time in my life when I can really understand and appreciate it."
Reyes's approach transformed Agassi into a well-conditioned strong athlete. When they first began working together Agassi could bench press 135 pounds. Fourteen years later in 2003, he was benchpressing 350 lbs. Reyes described his job as being "to get [Agassi] to be as good to himself as he is to others." The relationship between Reyes and Agassi was so close that Reyes was sometimes called "the core" of Agassi's team of advisors, friends and family.
Reyes's contributions to Agassi's success were often overlooked in favor of the contributions of coaches like Brad Gilbert
Brad Gilbert
Brad Gilbert , is an American tennis coach, a television tennis commentator, an author and former professional tennis player. He was born in Oakland, California and graduated from Piedmont High School ....
.
In 2001, Agassi named his child Jaden Gil Agassi after his trainer and friend.
After Agassi
Gil Reyes currently runs the Gil Reyes Fitness Center in Las Vegas. Gil Reyes and AdidasAdidas
Adidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport...
have a contract under which he helps train young athletes, such as Fernando Verdasco
Fernando Verdasco
Fernando Verdasco Carmona is a professional tennis player. He is currently ranked no. 22 in the world. Verdasco started playing tennis at four years of age and had a full-time coach when he was eight...
, Sania Mirza
Sania Mirza
Sania Mirza is a professional Indian tennis player. She began her tennis career in 2003 and is well known for her powerful forehand ground strokes. She is the first ever Indian to break into the top 30 WTA rankings...
and Sam Querrey
Sam Querrey
Sam Austin Querrey is a professional American tennis player from Thousand Oaks, California currently living in Las Vegas, Nevada. As of August 2010, he is the fourth-highest ranked American. His career high rank was #17, achieved on January 31, 2011. His height allows him to play with a strong...
; the program is officially called the Adidas Player Development program. The training employed by Reyes consists of the same combination used for Andre Agassi- a combination of court practice, weight training and runs up "Magic Mountain".
Gil Reyes was credited by Fernando Verdasco
Fernando Verdasco
Fernando Verdasco Carmona is a professional tennis player. He is currently ranked no. 22 in the world. Verdasco started playing tennis at four years of age and had a full-time coach when he was eight...
for his improved fitness and career-best run to the Australian Open
Australian Open
The Australian Open is the only Grand Slam tennis tournament held in the southern hemisphere. The tournament was held for the first time in 1905 and was last contested on grass in 1987. Since 1972 the Australian Open has been held in Melbourne, Victoria. In 1988, the tournament became a hard court...
semifinals in January 2009.