Felix Auger-Aliassime has brought Ivan Ljubicic on board as his new coach. This move follows a challenging period for Auger-Aliassime after parting ways with his long-time coach, Guillaume Fontang. The months since their separation saw early exits at the US Open and China Open, with limited wins on tour. Auger-Aliassime sought a coach with top-level experience.
Ljubicic fits that requirement. A former world No. 3, he coached Roger Federer from 2016 until Federer's retirement in 2022, a period that included three of Federer's Grand Slam victories. Before coaching Federer, Ljubicic worked with Milos Raonic, a player known for his strong serve. Ljubicic’s emphasis on first-strike tennis aligns well with Auger-Aliassime’s game.
An interesting aspect of this new arrangement is that Ljubicic will continue in his role as a special advisor to the French Tennis Federation (FFT). The FFT confirmed that his contract allows him to coach individual players on the ATP or WTA tours, making the dual roles compatible. Since Gilles Simon took over as elite players manager, Ljubicic's position at the FFT shifted to advising President Gilles Moretton, primarily on international matters.
Auger-Aliassime faces a critical juncture in his season, with many ATP ranking points to defend. He was the finalist at the Paris Masters last year, is the defending champion in Brussels, and reached the semifinals of the ATP Finals. Despite being fifth in the rankings, his position in the Race to Turin, which determines qualification for the event, is currently 15th.
His first tournament with Ljubicic as his coach will be the Shanghai Masters.
