Felix Auger-Aliassime Begins Coaching Partnership with Ivan Ljubicic

"Excited to start a new chapter with Ivan. Let’s get to work," Auger-Aliassime stated. The two have already begun their collaboration in Monte-Carlo.

Fontang had worked with Auger-Aliassime for ten years, but the months following their separation have been challenging for the Canadian, resulting in early exits at the US Open and the China Open. Both defeats came against Karen Khachanov, leaving the player with just three wins in six tour-level matches since reaching the Wimbledon quarterfinal. Auger-Aliassime's 2023 record stands at 36-16, including one title in Montpellier. He expressed a desire to find a coach with top-level experience.

Ljubicic brings significant coaching credentials, having been the coach of Federer from 2016 until the Swiss retired in 2022, during which time they celebrated three Grand Slam victories. He was also the coach of Milos Raonic from 2013 to 2015, known for a big serve, similar to Auger-Aliassime’s style of play.

Interestingly, Ljubicic will continue in his role as special advisor to the French Tennis Federation (FFT), which publicly congratulated Auger-Aliassime on his new coaching partnership. The FFT confirmed to L’Equipe that Ljubicic's contract allows him to coach ATP or WTA players individually, making his dual role viable. However, his operational position at the FFT has changed since Gilles Simon was appointed elite players manager, which limits Ljubicic's involvement with the federation to advisory tasks only.

Auger-Aliassime faces a challenging schedule ahead, needing to defend significant ranking points, including those from last year’s Paris Masters final, his title at the Brussels 250, and semifinal points from the ATP Finals. Despite being ranked fifth, he currently sits 15th in the Race to Turin, which determines qualification for the ATP Finals.

His first competitive match with Ljubicic will be at the Shanghai Masters.