Coach Ivan Ljubicic reveals Roger Federer is still physically active and overall the Swiss’ retirement life has been going well. Ljubicic, who started working with Federer in 2016, was a part of Federer’s team until the Swiss’ retirement from tennis – which came in late September at the Laver Cup.
Since retiring, Federer hasn’t gone to any tennis tournaments – not even Basel, where the tournament organizers wanted to organize him a farewell. But Federer loves tennis and it’s only a matter of time before he starts paying visits to tennis tournaments.
“He still practices when he can, he is still staying active, and he feels good. His life hasn’t changed much. I know he would like to have fun on the tennis courts, that’s the place where he feels the best,” Ljubicic said on RMC Sport’s “Bartoli Time.’
With Federer retired, Ljubicic has found a new job
After taking some time to consider his next move, Ljubicic decided to accept a job with the French Tennis Federation (FFT). The FFT hired Ljubicic to work on the “Ambition 24” program as Federer’s ex-coach will have the task of developing the over-14 French talent.
French tennis has never lacked talent but they haven’t had much Grand Slam success in recent years. In the men’s game, there hasn’t been a French Grand Slam singles champion since 1983. In women’s tennis, France hasn’t had a Grand Slam champion since Marion Bartoli won 2013 Wimbledon.
Now, Ljubicic is hoping to help young French prospects develop. “I am very happy to join the French Tennis Federation, one of the federations in the world that devotes the most resources to developing the potential of its young people.
France has a very rich, very promising breeding ground, and I put my experience at the service of this new challenge with total commitment and a strong desire to share the values that forge champions,” Ljubicic said in his statement.
