Ivan Ljubicic, former world No. 3 tennis player, divulged the astonishment he felt when Roger Federer, the unmatched eight-time Wimbledon champion, extended an invitation to him to be his coach. This unexpected proposition left Ljubicic reeling, and it took several discussions for the Croatian tennis legend to comprehend why Federer was so keen on acquiring his expertise.
In the aftermath of the 2015 season, Federer concluded his professional relationship with Stefan Edberg. This was a period marked by a glaring absence of Grand Slam titles since Wimbledon 2012 for the Swiss maestro. Soon thereafter, Federer introduced Ljubicic as his new coach, a strategic move that saw him joining forces with Severin Luthi on the coaching team.
Despite the initial hiccup of a knee injury and subsequent surgery for Federer, the duo’s second year together was a resounding success. Federer broke his Grand Slam dry spell by clinching the Australian Open and Wimbledon titles in 2017.
Ljubicic candidly shared his initial reaction to Federer’s proposition, “I was taken aback, not because I doubted my abilities or hadn’t anticipated it, but because no one was aware that Federer was ending his collaboration with Stefan Edberg. Everyone believed that the three-year stint with Stefan was set to continue, and there were no whispers suggesting otherwise.”
The Croatian tennis legend continued, “When the question was posed, I was initially stunned, primarily due to my ignorance about Federer’s active search for a coach. Then, it dawned on me, ‘Do you genuinely believe that I can make a difference?'”
Following a face-to-face conversation, Federer communicated his reasons for considering Ljubicic as the ideal candidate he needed at that juncture of his career. Recognizing the logic behind Federer’s decision, Ljubicic accepted the offer. Their successful partnership resulted in three Grand Slam titles and propelled Federer to become the oldest world No. 1 in ATP history at that time.
Reflecting on his experience, Ljubicic affirmed that Federer’s choice was “correct.” He remained a key member of Federer’s team until the Swiss titan hung up his racket in 2022.