Federer’s coach complains of ‘dangerous speech’ as fans accused of filling void

Roger Federer’s ex-coach Ivan Ljubicic has warned against comparing other players to the Swiss stars, branding it “dangerous speech”. The Croatian player-turned-coach claimed that similar comments had damaged Grigor Dimitrov. And Ljubicic thought that fans made the comparisons to fill the void left when Federer retired.

Ljubicic has urged tennis fans to stop comparing other players to his old charge Federer after recent comments about young Italian star Lorenzo Musetti. The 21-year-old isn’t the only one to receive the comparisons, as former world No 3 Dimitrov spent the early part of his career being nicknamed ‘baby Fed’.

And the former coach of Federer explained why he thought the analogies could be detrimental to Musetti’s career. Using Dimitrov as a reference point, the 44-year-old also admitted that the Bulgarian was more like Federer than Musetti was.

“It’s a dangerous speech,” Ljubicic told Gazzetta. “Just look at what happened to Dimitrov, who really was a photocopy of Roger. Heavy comparisons that create expectations that can hurt a player.”

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While Musetti boasts a one-handed backhand, Ljubicic also said that the world No 19 had his own game that wasn’t too comparable to that of the 20-time Major champion. “I don’t think Lorenzo looks that much like Federer,” he added.

And the former world No 3 also believed that the similarities could be coming up to fill the gap left behind since Federer ended his 24-year playing career at the 2022 Laver Cup. Ljubicic continued: “He has great technique, makes you dream, but maybe we want to use his talent to fill the void of beauty that Roger has left. That can be risky for a guy who’s looking for his style and still shaping it.”

Meanwhile, Musetti himself didn’t seem too fussed about the comparisons. After seven-time Grand Slam champion Mats Wilander claimed that the Italian reminded him of both Federer and Gustavo Kuerten, he said: “Federer was my idol, Kuerten is one of my coach’s idols.

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“They are two one-handed backhand legends and I’m really happy to be matched with them.” However, Dimitrov didn’t feel the same about the comments he had been receiving since bursting onto the scene.

Speaking to We Are Tennis in February of this year, he claimed the ‘baby Fed’ nickname weighed heavy on him. The 32-year-old said: “That should be a lesson for every young player who comes into the game.

“No one should carry such a burden upon his name, I’ll tell you that much. That was, I think one of the most, I would say, irrelevant comparisons in my eyes, in my view and I think in everybody’s. And what I am the most happy with is that I made a name for myself.”

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