Ivan Ljubicic: How to Raise a Champion Without Breaking Them

Can a parent also be the coach? And can perfectionism create greatness without destroying the person?

Former world No. 3 and Roger Federer’s former coach Ivan Ljubicic joins Caroline Garcia and Borja Duran for an honest conversation about tennis parents, junior development, elite coaching and the hidden cost of becoming one of the best.

Ivan explains why parents should be responsible for developing the human being—not coaching the tennis player—and how even a small expression of doubt can undermine a child’s relationship with their coach. He discusses parents who project their own ambitions, the difficult transition toward independence, and why a parent can never fully occupy both roles.

They also explore why results should not be the objective, how Jannik Sinner focuses on constant improvement, why junior success can be misleading, and what players should value when choosing a coach.

Ivan then reveals what made Roger Federer so professional and coachable, how Federer treated the people around him, and why the greatest players never stop adding new tools to their game.

In this episode:

• The biggest mistakes tennis parents make

• How to raise an ambitious but independent young athlete

• Why results are outside a player’s control

• The relationship between perfectionism, success and happiness

• How to choose the right coach

• Why player and coach must share the same ambition

• The danger of becoming successful too young

• How elite tennis teams are built

• What players can learn from Roger Federer

• Why players must take ownership of their careers

Can a parent successfully be both the parent and the coach? Share your perspective in the episode comments.

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