ZURICH, 11 December 2003 — Wimbledon champion Roger Federer will take his time in choosing a new coach to replace Peter Lundgren, who helped the 22-year-old Swiss to the most successful year of his career.
“First, I wanted to get this thing with Peter over and then search for a new coach. Anything else would have been unfair,” he told yesterday’s edition of the Swiss newspaper Blick.
“I can conceive of going to Australia without a coach. My goal would still be the same,” Federer said. The 2004 season starts with the Australian Open in January.
The Swiss has been working with Lundgren, a close friend, since 1998.
The shaggy-haired, stocky Swede was a familiar sight in the stands at major tournaments and the two men were considered inseparable. Federer said he had come as far as he could with Lundgren and it was time for a change.
Federer won the 2003 season-ending Masters Cup, thrashing Andre Agassi in the final, and he finishes the year ranked second in the world behind Andy Roddick.
Marc Rosset and Severin Luethi have been touted as possible coaches but Federer dismissed the first as a possibility.
“I would certainly not consider Marc as a coach. He still plays and is also (Swiss) Davis Cup captain. I will be training regularly with Severin in the next few weeks...but I am also training with (others),” he said.
“I must get on with (any new coach). We have to speak the same language and I have to have the feeling that I can develop further with him,” he said, adding there was no short list. Federer won more prize money than any other player — $4 million — in 2003.
He won the Wimbledon title in July by beating Australian Mark Philippoussis 7-6, 6-2, 7-6 in the final and Roddick 7-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the semifinal in one of the year’s great performances.
The Swiss daily Tages-Anzeiger said the Swiss player was breaking the cardinal “never change a winning team” sports rule. Lundgren guided Federer from being ranked number 51 four years ago to near the pinnacle of his profession.
