‘I Found Him Somewhat Discouraged’ – Roger Federer’s Coach Ivan Ljubicic Says the Swiss Maestro Hired Him Because He Was Not Winning Grand Slams

Published 09/18/2022, 5:30 AM EDT

Since his debut, the Swiss Maestro, Roger Federer, has become one of the greatest tennis players of all time. But there was a time when he struggled to string a few victories on the tennis court. Recently, one of Federer’s coach opened up, recalling the time when he was not winning Grand Slam titles.

A couple of days ago, Federer made the decision to end his legendary career. For more than two decades, he has consistently performed at the highest level. However, for a year now, the former world number one has been suffering from various injuries and was sidelined.

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Ivan Ljubicic discusses his beginnings as a coach for Roger Federer

In an interview, Federer’s present coach opened up about the time when he joined the swiss maestro as a coaching partner. Ljubicic was an opponent to the former world number one and has faced him on numerous occasions before joining his team.

The Croatian player turned out to be a great help for Federer as he challenged his inner self while training with him. He said, “When I started working with Roger, I found him somewhat discouraged because four years ago, he was not winning a Grand Slam. I tried to make him aware that he had to play more on the court, be more aggressive, use flat shots, and what I found is a person full of energy and eager to learn. It is incredible how well he works and how smart it is, on and off the track. It looks like a perfect machine.”

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Ljubicic recalled the time when he joined Federer and was not in excellent form as he didn’t win any major titles at that period. The former world number one gradually regained his form when he started training with the former Croatian player and secured significant titles to his name; the Australian Open title in 2017 and the Wimbledon in 2018.

Ivan was once Federer’s rival

Before joining the coaching team of the Swiss Maestro, Ljubicic was his rival. They have faced each other on all types of surfaces, whether it be a hard surface or a clay one. The duo have played against each other for a decade. Their first face off took place in the 2000 and they played their last one in 2010.

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Unsurprisingly, the former world number one has more wins than Ljubicic in 16 clashes. The Swiss Maestro has won 13 matches against his present coach. The legendary Swiss will play his last tournament at the Laver Cup this month.

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Written by:

Pratishtha Prakash is a Tennis writer at EssentiallySports. She has completed her Bachelor’s degree in Mass Media and Journalism from MIT ADT University, Pune. In the past, she has interned at the sports desk of The Hitavada, a regional English daily newspaper.

Edited by:

Tony Thomas

‘I Found Him Somewhat Discouraged’ – Roger Federer’s Coach Ivan Ljubicic Says the Swiss Maestro Hired Him Because He Was Not Winning Grand Slams

Ivan Ljubicic discusses his beginnings as a coach for Roger Federer

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Ivan was once Federer’s rival