Published 01/10/2023, 11:37 AM EST
Swiss tennis legend Roger Federer recently played his last match. The 41-year-old ended up as one of the greatest tennis players of all time. The Swiss maestro had a few of great companions alongside him as a coach to guide him through the journey. One of them was former top-three tennis player Ivan Ljubicic.
The Croatian has a good experience in coaching and recently joined the French Tennis Federation as a coach to work with young players. Here’s what he said about his role.
Former coach of Federer to work with the French Tennis Federation
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Ivan Ljubicic will work closely with the young French generation to prepare them for the upcoming Summer Olympic Games. Speaking about his preparation in an exclusive interview with Tennis Majors for the Paris Olympics 2024, the Croatian said, “Of course, we have Olympic Games, basically, which is around the corner. You cannot do miracles. Again, you cannot do miracles in here. But I am definitely part of the team and I want to help to win some medals.”
Recalling the time when Roger Federer lost his bronze medal match in the 2000 Olympics, Ljubicic added, “I remember I was in Sydney (in 2000). When Arnaud Di Pasquale beat Roger for the bronze medal. So I remember those times. And I hope it can be done again in Paris, which, of course, would be extremely special.”
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While the Croatian looks confident about his upcoming role, it will be interesting to see if he can bring good results.
Roger Federer had a teary farewell
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After the retirement of Serena Williams, tennis fans got another shock when Federer declared his retirement. The 41-year-old was out of action for a long time. The Swiss maestro went through knee surgery and was not happy with his recovery. The 41-year-old chose Laver Cup as his final tournament.
LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 23: Roger Federer of Team Europe shows emotion alongside Rafael Nadal following his final match during Day One of the Laver Cup at The O2 Arena on September 23, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images for Laver Cup)
Playing doubles alongside Rafael Nadal, the duo lost to the American pair of Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe. It was an emotional moment as we saw Federer and Nadal sitting side by side and crying.
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Federer finished as the third-highest Grand Slam winner with 20 Slam titles to his name. Nadal tops the list with 22 titles, while Novak Djokovic stands second in the list with 21 titles.