Federer’s coach reassures fans they will ‘continue to see him play’

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Roger Federer’s coach has confirmed that the Swiss star’s fans will “continue to see him play” despite his recent retirement. The 41-year-old ended his impressive career at last month’s Laver Cup though Ivan Ljubicic said Federer would still be seen on a court, just not at an official tournament.

Federer’s remarkable 24-year career as a professional tennis player came to an end last month, with the former world No 1 returning from a 14-month injury layoff to play one final match before hanging up his racket. The man often seen as the ‘GOAT’ joined forces with Rafael Nadal in the doubles at the Laver Cup before waving goodbye in front of a packed O2 Arena crowd.

The 20-time Major champion had been struggling with a right knee injury for the last two years that saw him take two lengthy breaks from competition, once after the 2020 Australian Open and again after Wimbledon in 2021, which he never returned from bar his last dance at the Laver Cup. But Federer’s coach has now assured fans that they will still see him play in the future.

“Fans will continue to enjoy watching him play, although not at official events,” Ljubicic told Punto De Break two weeks after Federer said farewell in London. The Croatian former world No 3 had been coaching the Swiss star since 2016 and explained how his former rival became his protege after a dinner invitation.

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And the meeting came in London when Federer was playing at none other than the O2 Arena, the old home of the year-end ATP Finals. “In 2015, at the end of that year, I was in London for the ATP Finals and Roger invited me to dinner with my wife and his,” Ljubicic said.

“A casual dinner. At the end of dinner, he asked me if he would be interested in training him. For me it was a big surprise because I had no idea that I could be an option.” The pair teamed up in 2016 but Federer struggled physically, back then with his left knee.

He ended his season after losing in the Wimbledon semi-final but had a successful comeback in 2017, winning the Australian Open before going on to end the year with an impressive 54-5 win-loss record. Federer also won Wimbledon and the sunshine double – lifting the Indian Wells and Miami titles back-to-back.

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His other titles that year came at the ATP 500s in Halle and Basel, and at the Masters 1000 in Shanghai, all with Ljubicic and his other coach Severin Luthi by his side. The 43-year-old is now unsure what he will do after Federer’s retirement but has already been a successful coach to players like Milos Raonic, and has also managed players like Borna Coric and Thomas Berdych.

“Being his coach has meant a lot, because I have learned a lot being by his side,” the Olympic bronze medallist said. “My next challenge? I do not know. It has to be something that excites me. It has to be something I emotionally get caught up in. I am someone who, in order to do something, has to fall in love with the project.

“I don’t know what I’ll do. I will take some time until the end of the year to find out what I will do, if I have other offers or if I accept the ones I already have. I don’t have the need or the desire to do something immediately.”

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