A true tennis legend, Roger Federer ended his career in September 2022. He leaves a great mark behind him, with 20 Grand Slam titles and an unrivaled style of play. His coach between 2016 and 2022, Ivan Ljubicic, was therefore at the forefront of the twilight of the Swiss career and he told it, not without a hint of emotion.
From his debut in 1998 to his retirement in 2022, Roger Federer is considered by many to be one of the greatest players in tennis history. If his track record is not the most extensive, he who has won 20 titles in the Grand Slam, When Nadal et Djokovic have won 22 and 23 respectively, his style of play will remain in the minds of all tennis fans.
“Of course, I had awkward moments where people thought I had been hired because I was his friend”
Asked by Tennis Majors, the former coach of Roger Federer between 2016 and 2022, Ivan Ljubicic, spoke about his debut with the Swiss: “Of course, the beginning was difficult because in the second tournament he injured his meniscus and in the first operation, which was a blow [Wimbledon 2016, ndlr]. But at the same time, looking back, maybe it was a chance for us to have the time to work and get to know each other better. And then you just sort of pass. Of course, I had awkward moments where people thought I was hired because I was his friend and stuff like that. But I was obviously happy that the results finally came. »
Nadal, Djokovic, Federer… The Alcaraz du Big 3 arrives! pic.twitter.com/Mv3Dtn3RhO
— le10sport (@le10sport) July 28, 2023
“I felt his pain”
Ivan Ljubicic then evokes the retirement of his former player, and his reaction on learning the news: “It was a phone call. But it didn’t come out of nowhere. He had had doubts about his return for some time. But it was silent. I didn’t know what to say, honestly. It’s hard to… I felt his pain. I felt it wasn’t an easy phone call for him, so I tried to comfort him as much as I could, you know, but I also needed comfort, so it was a tough, tough time. . But again, you know, it didn’t come as a surprise. We all sort of felt like it would happen sooner rather than later. »
2023-07-29 20:35:07
#Federer #huge #announcement #shock #terrible
