Higueras looks to work magic with Federer

Jose Higueras has faced plenty of challenges in his career: Coaxing cramps out of Michael Chang during his miraculous '89 Roland Garros title run; convincing the offensive Jim Courier to play more defensively in the '91 French final against Andre Agassi; encouraging Todd Martin that he had every right to think that he could play with the other American big boys and imploring the declining Pete Sampras to understand that practice really does make perfect.

But Higueras now faces perhaps his most interesting challenge yet: trying to pull one of the greatest players ever, top-ranked Roger Federer, out of a slump and then quickly helping him design a rapid assault on Rafael Nadal's clay-court superiority. Neither task will be easy, but Higueras has always been an extremely hard worker and has a cool, confident demeanor that often rubs off on his player.

A source told TennisReporters.net that Higueras will work with Federer in Estoril this week, at Monte Carlo next week and, hopefully for the Californian-based coach's other main client, Robby Ginepri, he will then head to Barcelona to work with the American. Then Federer might ask him to go to Rome.