A former world number 3 is at the bedside of French tennis. Ivan Ljubicic was appointed Monday at the head of the “Ambition 2024” project by the French Tennis Federation. The goal ? “Helping the top level in France. With in the background, the big objective of the Olympic Games in Paris in 2024, clearly, ”announced the ex-coach of Roger Federer to L’Equipe. The Croatian met Gilles Moretton, president of the FFT, during the Laver Cup at the end of September, the last tournament of “Roger”. The idea of a partnership then germinated.
“During the first two or three months, I will travel to France, meet people, young people, go to the Petits As de Tarbes, visit the Poitiers pole, go to the CNE (National Training Center). To really know, to know the structures, the people, the coaches,” said Ljubicic. The technician will then make a point before the Monte-Carlo tournament in order to understand “what can be added, or done differently”, see how he can “specifically help”.
Winner of 10 titles during his career, the 43-year-old former tennis player wishes to bring his experience, “with the international dimension”, to young French people. “I feel there are a lot of areas where I can help with my approach to the game, my mentality. I will try to make young people realize that they can really do it, that they can be ambitious, that they can have high goals. This feeling may have been lost over the past ten to fifteen years in France. »
“Enormous potential” in France
Ljubicic confirms the general feeling: “the current results of French tennis are not at the level one would expect. “The coach will therefore place himself” at the complete disposal of the FFT “, while he is under contract with an Italian TV as a consultant and that he runs an academy in Croatia.
The former world number 3 is determined to help French tennis get back on its feet, much like his work with Roger Federer. “That’s also how I started with Roger (Federer), who had not won Grand Slam titles for four years. It’s a bit the same feeling that drives me. There is enormous potential in your country, with such a large number of young people who play tennis well. Under his wing, the Swiss won the Australian Open twice and a title at Wimbledon after a five-year low in Grand Slams.