Ivan Ljubicic recalls the IMMENSE pain Roger Federer suffered while announcing his retirement decision

Ivan Ljubicic, Roger Federer’s longtime coach, recalls the painful details of the emotional moment when the Swiss maestro decided to hang up his racquet one year after the tennis world bid farewell to one of its greatest legends. Ljubicic discussed the sadness and uncertainty surrounding Federer’s retirement announcement and the difficulties of saying goodbye to a long career in an exclusive interview with Tennis Majors.

The announcement of Roger Federer‘s retirement one year ago sent shockwaves across the tennis fraternity. Fans have always admired Federer’s skill on the court and sportsmanship off the court. However, as his career approached its end, there were doubts concerning his future in the sport. During this period of reflection, he confided in his close friend and coach.

Ljubicic admits that the Swiss’ choice to retire was not altogether unexpected. He has been struggling with misgivings about a possible comeback for some time, and his feelings were far from unexpected. Ljubicic was not wholly surprised when the phone call arrived, but he was nevertheless at a loss for words.

“It was a phone call. But it didn’t come out of the blue. It was some time that he’d had kind of doubts if he ever will come back. But it was silence. I didn’t know what to say, honestly. It’s hard to… I felt his pain,” Ljubicic recounted.

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The coaching partnership of Ivan Ljubicic and Roger Federer

Tennis has seen several great player-coach combinations throughout the years, but few have had the same long-lasting influence as Roger Federer and Ivan Ljubicic. Their collaboration began in 2016 when Federer was looking for new perspectives and direction to help reinvigorate his career. That is when he found former Croatian tennis star Ljubicic, famed for his strong serve and diverse game. Ljubicic’s stellar playing career and natural understanding of the game made him an excellent coach for Federer, and the two decided to collaborate.

Federer enhanced his game with outstanding successes during their partnership. The Swiss maestro won three Grand Slam titles with Ljubicic by his side, including the Australian Open in 2017 and 2018, as well as the historic Wimbledon title in 2017. The Wimbledon victory was significant because it represented Federer’s record-extending eighth Wimbledon title and return to the World No. 1 status.

Federer’s friendship with Ljubicic saw several significant events. At the age of 36 years, the Swiss superstar became the oldest player to hold the World No. 1 rating. In addition, he broke the record for the most weeks spent as World No. 1, which was previously held by Pete Sampras.

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