"Now she's on people's radar" - Andre Agassi's former coach Brad Gilbert feels rising star Alycia Parks faces challenge of making 'next leap'

Leading tennis coach Brad Gilbert applauded Alycia Parks for her rise through the ranks over the past few months, which recently saw her break into the Top-50 of the WTA rankings. While Gilbert is impressed by Parks' efforts that have now put her on the radar, he suggested that the American youngster will now be presented with a big challenge of 'making the next leap.'

Parks was outside the Top-150 in November 2022, before ending the season inside the Top-80. A strong start to the 2023 season that saw her clinch her maiden WTA title at the Lyon Open propelled Parks to her Top-50 debut a couple of weeks ago. The 22-year-old is increasingly being regarded as a future star of the women's game.

Gilbert, who enjoyed a highly successful stint as Andre Agassi's coach back in the day, feels Parks has forced tennis enthusiasts to take notice.

"Love to see somebody that wasn't on people's radar a few years ago doing what she (Alycia Parks) is doing," Brad Gilbert said on a recent episode of the Craig Shapiro Tennis Podcast.

Now that many more people have witnessed Parks' talents, the question rises whether the World No. 55 can get better and make a bigger impact, Gilbert stressed.

"Now she's (No.) 50 in the world, now she's on people's radar, now can she make that next leap? That's the beauty of tennis, the beauty of sports. She wasn't on the radar, now people know what she's doing. Can she get better from here?" the 61-year-old coach added.

Parks last played at Indian Wells earlier this week, losing 1-6, 1-6 to Anna Kalinskaya in the opening round.

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Alycia Parks trains with Serena Williams' former hitting partner at Indian Wells

Alycia Parks in action during the bett1open 2022.

Jarmere Jenkins, who was Serena Williams' hitting partner for a few years during the American great's career, was recently seen coaching Alycia Parks ahead of her Indian Wells campaign. Jenkins, who retired from pro tennis back in 2017, joined Williams' team later that same year and often traveled with her as her hitting partner. Jenkins' brother, Jermaine, is Venus Williams' former hitting partner.

Meanwhile, Parks will aim to quickly bounce back at the Miami Open, where she is yet to make her main draw debut. Earlier this season, the Atlanta, Georgia native lost in the qualifying round of the Australian Open singles event, before beating the likes of Petra Martic, Danka Kovinic, and Caroline Garcia en route to the Lyon Open title soon after the Melbourne Major.