Ivan Ljubicic link up not too surprising for Roger Federer

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  • All about the fun: Roger Federer.

    Leave it to Roger Federer to turn a relatively dull news day in the tennis offseason into a frenzy of speculation over his latest coaching reshuffle.

    The Swiss legend announced late on Tuesday that his partnership with Stefan Edberg had ended and that he has added Ivan Ljubicic to his team as a replacement.

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    Ljubicic is an interesting choice from Federer and it prompted many to wonder in what way the Croat could actually help the world No3. During his two and a half years with Milos Raonic, Ljubicic helped the Canadian reach a career-high ranking of No4 and make his first Grand Slam semifinal at Wimbledon last season. Which means the 36-year-old is not without coaching pedigree.

    Granted, it’s not every day a player gets coached by someone who was a poor 3-13 against him head-to-head during his career.

    But it’s clear Federer’s decisions in the past few years have been based on making sure the Swiss star is enjoying his life on tour – from picking tournaments in locations he had never visited before to hiring his idol, Edberg, as a coach.

    Considering Federer has a great relationship with Ljubicic, it comes as no surprise that he would want someone he is friendly with, and whom he respects, with him on board. At this point in his career, technical help does not really matter – he’s had plenty of time to master that- but having someone smart, with a calm demeanour and who has known him for over a decade and knows today’s game well is definitely a plus.

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