Ljubicic tells what he went through a few months before Roger Federer’s retirement (Provided by Tennis World FR)
Coach Ivan Ljubicic says Roger Federer’s retirement ‘didn’t come out of the blue’, but the Swiss’s decision was aa very difficult and painful moment. Federer, 41, waited until after the 2022 US Open to announce his retirement a week later at the Laver Cup. Ljubicic, who had worked with Federer since 2016, knew the Swiss’ recovery from knee surgery was not going to plan and the whole team had known for months that the former winner of 20 Grand Slams might not be able to return.“It wasn’t an unexpected phone call.
We had doubts about his return for some time. But it was a silence. I didn’t know what to say, honestly. It’s difficult. I felt his pain. I felt it was not an easy phone call for him, so I tried to comfort him as much as possible, but I also needed comfort, so it was a very difficult time.
But again, you know, it wasn’t a surprise. We all felt like it would happen sooner rather than later,” Ljubicic told Tennis Majors.
Ljubicic: Nothing else could have stopped Roger
After undergoing two knee surgeries in 2020, Federer underwent another after Wimbledon 2021.
Federer’s plan was to come back from the third knee operation, but that didn’t happen. Reflecting on everything that happened, Ljubicic says Federer only retired when he realized his body was no longer capable of handling the demands of professional tennis.“I think that was the only way for him to stop, honestly.
I don’t think there was any other solution. His abilities have not diminished. His physical form might, over time, be a little slower, a little more this, a little more that, but his genius would always keep him in the top fiveat any rate.
I honestly think the only way for him to stop was if his body wasn’t able to go on. Looking back, because he loves it so much, he couldn’t make the decision to stop playing because, I don’t know, he had had enough. It would never happen with Roger” Ljubicic said.
2023-07-29 02:01:04
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