Peter Lundgren, Roger Federer’s former coach, died on Friday at the age of 59, his family announced on Facebook. The Swede, who reached 25th place in the ATP rankings as a player in the 1980s, was the coach of the Basel player between 2000 and 2003. He had been seriously ill for a long time. Diabetic, he had to have his left foot amputated last fall after a fracture.
Lundgren had first made his mark as a coach working with Marcelo Rios in the late 1990s, helping the eccentric Chilean break into the world’s top 10. He then joined the ranks of Swiss Tennis, where he was in charge of the next generation.
After the tragic death of Peter Carter, Roger Federer’s coach, the Swede took charge of the young Basel native’s destiny. It was with Lundgren in his box that the man who was not yet the “Master” won his first ATP tournaments and the first of his 20 Grand Slam titles, on the grass of Wimbledon in 2003.
Also coach of Stan Wawrinka (August 2010-September 2011), Marcos Baghdatis and Grigor Dimitrov. But it was with the Russian Marat Safin – no less eccentric than Marcelo Rios, far from it – that he was able to taste victory in a Grand Slam again, at the 2005 Australian Open.
In 2011: Peter Lundgren, the miracle coach
