Gilbert to enter Bay Area Hall; Altamirano pulls upset

Brad Gilbert and four others will be enshrined in
the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame on Thursday
night. 2013 photo by Paul Bauman

   Brad Gilbert – a former top-five singles player who became a renowned coach, author and television commentator – and four others will be enshrined in the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame on Thursday night at the Westin St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco.
   Gilbert, a lifelong Bay Area resident, will be presented by his former protege, Andre Agassi, during the 6:30 p.m. banquet. A reception is scheduled for 5 p.m. Tickets cost $700, with proceeds going to help at-risk youths play sports.
   Joining Gilbert, 57, in the Hall of Fame will be former San Francisco Giants pitcher Dave Dravecky, former Cal and NBA star Jason Kidd, ex-San Francisco 49ers linebacker Keena Turner and longtime Stanford women's basketball coach Tara VanDerveer.
   Gilbert played professionally from 1982 to 1995, winning 20 singles titles and reaching a career-high No. 4 in 1990 by outsmarting more talented, stylish players. He earned a singles bronze medal in the 1988 Olympics in Seoul and compiled a 10-5 Davis Cup record.
   After his playing career ended, Gilbert coached Agassi for eight years (1994-2002). During that time, Agassi won six Grand Slam singles titles and an Olympic gold medal and reached No. 1 in the world for the first time.
   Gilbert then coached Andy Roddick to the U.S. Open title in 2003, the last time an American man has won a Grand Slam singles crown, and the top spot in the rankings.
   Gilbert joined ESPN as a tennis commentator in 2004. After coaching Andy Murray in 2006 and 2007, Gilbert returned to ESPN in 2008 and has worked for the network since then.
   Gilbert also has written two highly acclaimed books. "Winning Ugly," on how to beat opponents mentally, was published in 1993. "I've Got Your Back," on his coaching career, came out in 2004.
   He announced Sunday that he will run for the seat on the ATP Board of Governors vacated by Justin Gimelstob, who recently pleaded no contest in an assault case. The election is set for May 14 in Rome.
   ATP Challenger Tour -- Collin Altamirano of Sacramento ousted fourth-seeded Noah Rubin of Long Island, N.Y., 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 today on green clay in the second round of the $54,160 Savannah (Ga.) Challenger.
   Rubin, the Wimbledon boys singles champion in 2014, is ranked No. 168. He reached the second round of the Australian Open in men's singles in 2016, beating then-No. 18 Benoit Paire of France, and 2017, losing to eventual champion Roger Federer 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (3).
   Also in 2016, Rubin advanced to the final of the $100,000 Stockton (Calif.) Challenger, falling to fellow U.S. prospect Frances Tiafoe.
   Altamirano, ranked No. 287, is scheduled to play Australian Aleksandar Vukic, ranked No. 354, on Thursday at 8 a.m. PDT for a quarterfinal berth. The first meeting between the 23-year-old, 6-foot-2 (1.88-meter) right-handers will be streamed live.
   Vukic beat 13th-seeded Guilherme Clezar of Brazil 7-6 (2), 6-7 (6), 6-3.