Few have held a better seat to observe greatness than Paul Annacone. The coach of Pete Sampras for the majority of his career until he officially retired in 2003, and, until last week, a mainstay of Roger Federers entourage since 2010, Annacone has witnessed firsthand the challenges these overlapping champions faced as age and rivals inevitably whittled away at their dominance. According to Annacone, even past 30 count them out at your own peril. Greatness doesnt stop, Annacone told USA TODAY Sports in a phone interview Sunday following the announcement the day before that he and Federer had parted ways after a 3½-year association. It doesnt just go away. Hes not all of a sudden now not that good anymore. The problem is that the expectations and the bar are so high. Annacone said he would be surprised if Federer finished his career without nabbing another major. Whenever you start to doubt people like this you kind of set yourself up to get your own foot stuck in your mouth, he said. Theyre atypical. Theyre phenoms. As much as Roger still loves to play, the exuberance he still shows in every practice, his desire to continue to enjoy the game — I cant imagine anything other than success coming his way. For me, its not a matter of if. Its a matter of when. Federer announced the split on his website. When we started together we had a vision of a 3-year plan to win another Grand Slam title and get back to the number #1 ranking, it said. Along with many other goals and great memories, these 2 main goals were achieved. 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. Speaking by phone from his home in Los Angeles, Annacone, an articulate and analytical American, protected the intimate details behind the decision to part ways with the 17-time Grand Slam winner from Switzerland. Those discussions began in earnest during a two-week training session in Dubai following Federers fourth-round loss to Spains Tommy Robredo at the U.S. Open. After a number of very good, heartfelt and really thoughtful conversations about whats best in timing for Roger and also for me they concluded it was best to move on, Annacone said. I think we both feel good about it. I know I do. He laughed at the idea it had anything to do with the Swiss third-round loss to No. 41 Gael Monfils of France at last weeks Shanghai Masters. Its just ironic timing, he chuckled. Annacone acknowledged that 2013 had been a bumpy road and a little bit of a slip for seventh-ranked Federer, who at 32 has endured his poorest season in a decade. Federer failed to reach the final of a Grand Slam event for the first time since 2002 and suffered a series of stunning losses to much-lower-ranked players. Four of his last six losses, including a second-round exit at Wimbledon to 116th-ranked Sergiy Stakhovsky, have come to players outside the top 40. Federer juggled his schedule and even tinkered with a larger racket but his best showing at a major was reaching the Australian Open semifinals. His only tournament success was at the small grass-court event in Halle. His last Grand Slam championship came in 2012 at Wimbledon, his sole major title with Annacone on board. Annacone went through similar last-career struggles with Sampras and Tim Henman, his other prominent coaching client. He started working with Henman at 27 when the Brit was outside the top 40. He then reached two major semifinals in 2004 and surged into the top five. Sampras went two years without winning a title — with many calling for him to retire — before storming back and beating longtime rival Andre Agassi in the 2002 U.S. Open final, his 14th major and last professional match. Annacone, who worked closely with Federers co-coach Severin Luthi and his trainer Pierre Paganini, said he felt satisfied to have helped Federer win a record-tying seventh title at Wimbledon and reclaim the No. 1 ranking, which he has held an unsurpassed 302 weeks, most recently in October of 2012. But he said he was more pleased with participating in a dynamic team with many moving parts. To be part of that equation was very, very rewarding, he said. Im most proud of how everyone acted and reacted to challenges. Swiss Davis Cup captain Luthi will now take on a more prominent role and the rest of his entourage is intact, according to Annacone. Hes with a guy thats very understated but does a great job, Annacone said of Luthi. I think his team around him is very proficient. Annacone is confident Federer will not fade away. He conceded that with rivals such as Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray in their physical primes and his occasionally troublesome back a bigger issue Federer needs things to break his way. Tailoring his schedule to peak at majors is key. Roger is smart, he said. He is a very objective, thoughtful person. Hell figure out what he needs. Hes at an interesting time in his career where there is plenty of greatness left, Annacone added. He just has to put the pieces of the puzzle together. He and Federer remain on fantastic terms and remains in contact with him, including a couple of calls from Shanghai last week. On his website, Federer said: Paul remains a dear friend, and we both look forward to continuing our friendship. I want to thank Paul for his help and the value he has added to me and my team. I told him Im always here to bounce ideas of off, Annacone said. He might need to dial him up, as Federer is now locked in a tight battle to qualify for the ATP Tours year-ending championship in London. Four slots remain open for the elite eight-player field with three weeks to go. He is currently in eighth place and will need to perform well at his final two events at Basel and the Paris Masters to qualify. Hes right in the mix, Annacone said. Its on his racket. Well see how next couple weeks go. Indoor tennis is generally good for him so Id be surprised if he didnt have some good results in next couple weeks. Whats next for Annacone? A former top-12 player, Annacone has had a long career in tennis and called himself an industry lifer. Besides coaching Sampras, Henman and Federer — all of whom remain close friends — he has been in charge of player development for both the USTA and the British Lawn Tennis Association. Ive been really lucky, the 50-year-old said. The husband and father of two grown children is not sure where he will land and joked that maybe he could join the journalistic ranks. That would be one hat he has not worn. A prominent role with the U.S. Davis Cup team would be another, though current captain Jim Courier has signaled no desire to relinquish his post. At least for the immediate future, Annacone will have to watch greatness from a few rows back instead of within spitting distance. Im going to be really excited to watch him hold up all his subsequent trophies from here on in, he said of Federer.
Posted on: Tue, 15 Oct 2013 18:30:08 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015