MONTE CARLO, April 25: Former French Open champion Michael Chang believes Roger Federer’s decision to hire Jose Higueras as coach could finally help the world number one lift an elusive Roland Garros title.

Spanish claycourt expert Higueras coached Chang to become the youngest ever French Open men’s champion in 1989 before the tennis guru teamed-up with Jim Courier to claim back-to-back wins in Paris in 1991 and 1992.

“Jose is certainly one of the best coaches out there with clay being his specialty,” Chang, who was just 17 years and three months old when he won the Grand Slam title in the French capital, told www.atptennis.com

Federer has 12 Grand Slam titles but has constantly come up short on clay with Nadal beating him in the last two French Open finals.—AFP