Felix Auger-Aliassime has made a significant move for the next chapter of his career, hiring former World No. 3 and longtime Roger Federer coach Ivan Ljubicic.
“Excited to start a new chapter with Ivan. Let’s get to work,” Auger-Aliassime announced on Instagram on Friday.
The partnership fills the vacancy created when 26-year-old Auger-Aliassime ended his nearly decade-long relationship with Frederic Fontang following Wimbledon in July. The fifth-ranked Canadian had made it clear that he was looking for a coach with experience at the very highest level, and Ljubicic certainly checks that box.
The Croatian won ten titles and amassed 426 tour-level wins during an accomplished playing career before later coaching Federer from 2016 until the Swiss legend retired in 2022, a period that included Federer’s remarkable late-career renaissance and three additional Grand Slam titles. Ljubicic also previously coached another big-serving Canadian, Milos Raonic, from 2013 to 2015.
The pairing immediately makes Auger-Aliassime one of the more intriguing players – and potentially a difference maker – moving forward.
There is plenty of common ground between Ljubicic the player and Auger-Aliassime. Ljubicic built his own career around a powerful serve, aggressive first-strike tennis and a willingness to dictate from the baseline. That experience could prove particularly useful for Auger-Aliassime, whose best tennis is similarly predicated on taking control of points rather than allowing opponents to dictate.
His work with Federer — particularly during Federer’s successful effort to play more aggressively and take time away from opponents late in his career — makes the fit especially intriguing.
Ljubicic will not be leaving the French Tennis Federation to take the job. The 47-year-old recently moved from his position overseeing high performance into a role as special adviser to FFT president Gilles Moretton, with former world No. 6 Gilles Simon taking over as High Performance Director. The FFT has indicated that Ljubicic’s relationship with the federation will continue alongside his new work with Auger-Aliassime.
