Federer Ends His Relationship With Annacone

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 14th October 2013

Federer Ends His Relationship With Annacone

epa02524016 Roger Federer (R) of Switzerland talks with his new coach Paul Annacone (L) during a training session at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia, 11 January 2011. Federer will take part in the Australian Open Tennis tournament starting on January 17. EPA/JOE CASTRO AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT |

Roger Federer had decided the time had come to split with coach Paul Annacone before he even set foot onto the plane taking him to China for his latest disappointment in the Shanghai Rolex Masters. The pair spent a couple of weeks preparing together at the tried and tested training base in Dubai and came mutually to the decision they’d achieved everything possible together.

Now it seems unlikely that Federer will appoint another coach in the short-term, preferring to work with his longtime confidante and Swiss Davis Cup captain Severin Luthi as he looks to qualify for the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London next month.

“After numerous conversations, culminating at the end of our most recent training block, we felt like this was the best time and path for both of us,” said Federer who this year has lost in the Australian Open semi-finals to Andy Murray, fell at the last-eight stage to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the French Open and suffered a second-round defeat at Wimbledon to Sergiy Stakhovsky before losing to Tommy Robredo in the US Open fourth round. He last held the world no.1 ranking in October 2012.

“When we started together we had a vision of a three-year plan to win another grand slam title and get back to the no.1 ranking. Along with many other goals and great memories, these two main goals were achieved.”

Federer has two scheduled events remaining on his 2013 itinerary, his own hometown tournament the Swiss Indoors in Basel (beginning October 21) where he once served as a ball boy and has won five times, and the BNP Paribas Masters at Paris’ Palais Omnisports at Bercy where he took the trophy for the first time in 2011.

“After three superb years of collaboration Paul and I have decided to open a new chapter in our professional lives,” the 17-time Grand Slam champion said on his website. Federer first teamed up with Annacone, in August 2010. The pair had got to know one another well when Annacone served as coach to Federer’s good friend Tim Henman and the Swiss was confident the expertise gained working with Pete Sampras in the later stages of his career would be invaluable.

Annacone was notable by his absence in Shanghai but there was no suggestion the pair had decided to part and it was just assumed Luthi was doing the coaching duties solo, as he often does.

Soon after his arrival Federer said: “Clearly now that the four slams have passed, you reflect a little bit. But I’m really focused on finishing strong. That was the main idea behind another strong couple of weeks. Otherwise I could have maybe played an extra week last week.

“But I really thought right now what I need is a really solid block of practice. I guess in some ways also 2014 is in the back of my mind and also the end of the year right now. I didn’t want to focus too much on what happened the last two months. The US Open; I hardly ever thought about it if I look back.

“As we move along, I’ll go more into details, what I would like to adjust in my game, in my mindset, all these things.”

Clearly there does not seem to be any animosity on Annacone’s behalf. On Twitter he wrote: “Thx RF & Team RF– been a terrific journey – great team , better people!!! Thx to all !!!”

Curiously Federer has been passed in the Race to London by good friend and compatriot Stanislas Wawrinka, who appears to be reaping the benefits of being coached by former world no.2 Magnus Norman.

The Swede is part of the Good To Great Tennis Academy in Stockholm. Norman’s colleague Mikael Tillstrom recently split with Grigor Dimitrov.

Topics: 10sballs, Andy Murray, Atp World Tour, Australian Open, Jo Wilfried Tsonga, Paul Annacone, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer, Shanghai Rolex Masters, Sports, Stanislas Wawrinka, Tennis, Tennis News, Tim Henman, US Open