Former Roger Federer coach Severin Luthi has spoken for the first time since his sudden split Holger Rune that came earlier this week.
Luthi confirmed the statement made by Rune’s mother Aneke that the timing of the arrangement was not ideal and said his work with the 20-year-old wasn’t meant to offer a quick fix.
The World No. 7 in December last year announced that Luthi will join his camp as a coach for the upcoming 2024 season and work alongside 6-time Grand Slam champion Boris Becker who he added to his team earlier in October. The 48-year-old Swiss coach was in Dane’s box at the 2024 Australian Open when he was defeated by French Wildcard Arthur Cazaux in R2 of the season-opening slam.
Luthi has been involved in a high-profile coaching duty with 20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer from 2007 to until his retirement in 2022 and was also a captain of Swiss Davis Cup team that were crowned champions in 2014.
Talking to Swiss news outlet Blick, Luthi seconded Aneke Rune’s claim that the timing of the arrangement was not right.
“If you notice this (that the timing was not right), then I say: we would rather separate now than in six months. [The collaboration was] anything but a quick fix,” the Swiss said.
“I think about things like this carefully, maybe sometimes too carefully. I’m glad I was able to have this experience – it was my first job after Roger Federer’s retirement. That will help me personally.”
The report also revealed that Luthi described Rune as a “funny” and “incredibly curious” guy who “asks a lot of questions and isn’t above doing extra laps.”
Speaking to Danish publication Ekstra Bladet earlier this week, Aneke Rune revealed that Luthi would no longer be part of her son’s staff.
“I just want to inform you that from now on Holger will only have Boris and Kenneth in his coaching staff,” said World No. 7’s mother.
“Don’t want to make a big deal out of it, but the timing with Severin was clearly not right. It would be too few weeks for Severin to be able to cover for the continuity that Holger needs.”
Rune’s mother also divulged that Danish coach and former ATP player Kenneth Carlsen from now onwards would be taking on a more central role in the team.
“With the constellation Boris and Kenneth, Holger gets the flow he wants for his development and stability,” Aneke explained.
“Boris and Kenneth have been in contact since pre-season, when Kenneth was already considered for the coaching team. And from now on, the majority of all the big tournaments will be with both coaches, it goes on.
“For Holger, it is absolutely right to expand the planned collaboration with Kenneth, with whom he also trained for several periods during his junior years.”
Rune will be up against qualifier Pablo Llamas Ruiz in his R1 clash at the Open Sud de France in Montpellier on Thursday as he looks to rebound from Australian Open shock.
Top seed at the tourney in France, the Danish prodigy will face world No 133 Michael Mmoh, if he qualifies for the quarter-finals.