by Steve Tignor
from Tennis.com

Out with Fedberg, in with... Ljuberer?

According to Roger Federer, that’s where he’s heading in 2016. The 17-time Slam winner announced this week that his coach of the last two years, Stefan Edberg, has been replaced by Ivan Ljubicic.

Does this move come as a surprise? Does it feel like a step down? At first, the answers to both questions would seem to be "yes".

Edberg and Federer made a strong and seemingly natural team; their polished styles and demeanors appeared to dovetail perfectly. While they never won the big one—i.e., a major—the Swiss stabilized and sharpened his game with the Swede in his corner. It’s hard to remember now, but when Edberg was added to the team at the end of 2013, a 32-year-old Federer was coming off the most disappointing season of his career. His ranking had dropped from No. 2 to No. 6, and the inevitable signs of late-career decline—injuries, equipment changes, shock losses, early-round exits—seemed to have set in for good.

Roger Federer asked Stefan Edberg to remain his coach for another year, but Stefan refused to extend the contract to come back to his business and family commitments.

This behind-the-scene was revealed in a tweet by New York Times tennis columnist Christopher Clarey, who left his source unsaid.

What seems to be certain, instead, is that the end of the relationship was something the two had been aware of since months ago.

This detail was confirmed by Roger's head coach Severin Lüthi in an article he wrote for Swiss website Blick.ch: «The fact that the time with Stefan would come to an end was evident. He just didn't like to travel too much and already remained one year longer than planned.»

In 2015 Stefan only followed Roger for 10 weeks in total, compared to the 15 of the year before, skipping the longest trips to North America where he went only for the US Open and not for Indian Wells and Cincinnati.

from Vavel.com
by Pete Borkowski

With the former coach of Roger Federer now available, there are a handful of players who could use the veteran guidance that Edberg brings to the table.

Roger Federer wasted no time in announcing who would replace Stefan Edberg as his new coach. However, there has been no word yet about whether or not Edberg will look for a new player to coach. Whether or not Edberg intends on continuing to coach, there are plenty of players on the ATP World Tour who could use his guidance. Here is a list of players who should consider hiring Stefan Edberg.

Nick Kyrgios

The controversial Australian is currently without a coach and desperately needs one. Edberg would be a near-perfect fit for the feisty 20-year old. Stylistically, Edberg would be perfect because not only did he play a very similar style to Kyrgios, he just spent two years working with Roger Federer who played a near-identical style. Edberg helped Federer shape that new, aggressive, net-charging style that has brought about his renaissance. Kyrgios is already a big-hitting player who loves to charge the net. Edberg would go into that partnership familiar with the style and would be able to help him perfect that style. Edberg has already done that twice, for himself as a player and with Federer as a coach. He likely would be able to do it a third time with Kyrgios.

With a short statement released to ATP World Tour.com, Stefan Edberg gave his motivations behind the end of his partnership with Roger Federer.

The Swede made clear that the time required by his role in the team was too much for him to continue and there has never been a plan to go for another year.

Here's the full statement:

"Roger and I had a wonderful two years together.  When he originally approached me at the end of 2013, I committed to work with him for only a year.  It became very clear from the start that this was going to be a special partnership, working with the greatest ambassador tennis has ever seen.  It was exciting for me to be back out on tour and to see that the sport has made so much progress."

"The quality of tennis today is stronger than it has ever been.  After an amazing 2014, I decided to continue on for another year, but with a clear understanding that it would be my last year given the time commitment. I believe Roger still has a lot left to give to the sport of tennis and is capable of winning the big events. Roger and I will remain close friends and I will always feel part of the Federer team.  I hope to try and come watch Roger play some tournaments in 2016."

by Mauro Cappiello

Stefan Edberg will no longer be Roger Federer’s coach. With a message on his social channels the Swiss communicated to his fans a decision he and Stefan must have already agreed since long. The original deal was for at least 10 weeks in 2014, it became a successful partnership that saw the Swedish legend travel the main events of the Tour again for two years, almost like in the old days.

Although the media emphasized Roger’s role in the decision, it is clear that such an effort in terms of time and energy must have been a huge stress for the quite and reserved Stefan, who would have never imagined to get back on the stage until only a minute before receiving the Swiss’ call. So we can reasonably suppose that celebrating his 50th birthday in Australia was not in Edberg’s plans and that even if Federer had asked for a further extension of the agreement, this time Stefan would have said no.

In a packed O2 Arena, Roger Federer started his run at the ATP World Tour Finals yesterday night, defeating Czech Tomas Berdych in straight sets with the score of 6-4, 6-2.

Right after the match, his coach Stefan Edberg was called to join him at the centre of the court for a short ceremony at the presence of ATP World Tour CEO Chris Kermode, in which the Swiss was delivered the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award for the 11th time and the Fans' Favourite Award for his 13th successive time.

In case you missed the event, we have a complete photo-gallery for you and an early video available on Youtube!

Today the ATP World Tour announced the winners of the Year End Awards. Roger Federer clinched his 13th straight Fans' Favourite Award and was also voted by fellow players as the Sportsman of the season, as he picked his 11th Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award (the 5th in a row).

We know he could celebrate this trophies with Stefan Edberg himself. The Swede is already in London, where he will follow his pupil during the ATP World Championships next week at the O2 Arena.

Yesterday the first video of the duo together was shared on Youtube. You can see it below.

from Tennis.it
by Orazio Rotunno
translated into English by Mauro Cappiello

Roger Federer and Stefan Edberg: a decisive association, maybe come too late to enrich the King's Major record. Maybe...

3 Major finals (he hadn't played two in the same year since 2009), 9 finals in the 1000 events, including the one not played in London last year, of which three won. A Davis Cup and 12 titles won, bringing to 88 the overall number of trophies. All this with Stefan Edberg, at the venerable age of 34. And a growing regret...

What has changed with the Swedish coach is obvious, the results achieved by the Swiss in recent seasons can not be attributed to a mere change of racket, as much as a wider oval has undoubtedly helped him in missing fewer shots. The evidence has come in Basel, in the match against Nadal: it's true, the Spaniard is no longer the same as a couple of seasons ago, but for Federer he remains like the kryptonite to Superman.

It had been three and a half years since Roger last beat Rafa, in the Indian Wells quarter finals in 2012: in the following 5 meetings only defeats and only one set won. With Edberg on the "bench" only once they had clashed, but it was just the beginning of the partnership with the Swedish coach, at the Austrialian Open in 2014, with an easy victory for the Spaniard.

from Sport Klub.rs
by Svetozar Janičić
translated into English by Mauro Cappiello

The Asian swing and then the final Masters in London. Novak Djokovic is by far the first in the rankings, has won three Grand Slam tournaments this season, was only defeated in the final of the Roland Garros. Many believe that Djokovic will pass Federer and Nadal and will reign on the tennis world for long. International media already analyzed how much Nole, who has won ten Grand Slam titles, will need to reach Federer who has got 17.

Some even more malicious expected Roger to announce his retirement after the US Open, as Flavia Panetta did after winning the women's singles.

from SportSkeeda
by Manjunath Shekara

[...] In recent times, Federer’s innate ability of remaining relevant to the sport has been analyzed and eulogized. In my opinion, his game is where he wants it to be technically and tactically, but not mentally. Yes, that seems very unfair a comment when he has won 17 Grand Slam titles and is currently World No. 2 at the age of 34. But I’m talking about something very specific.

The larger racquet, the Edbergian School of Coaching, the smart scheduling and the SABR (Sneak Attack by Roger) have definitely added layers to Federer’s supreme game. However, certain mental aspects of his game seem to be untapped so far.

The 17-time Grand Slam champion showed a few chinks in his mental armor even in his prime. Federer’s arch-rival and nemesis, Rafael Nadal, has always given him a rough time as evidenced by a lop-sided head to head of 23-10 in Nadal’s favour. 13 of those 23 victories for Nadal have come on clay, his favourite surface, but on quick surfaces like those in Wimbledon and the O2 arena at London Federer has dominated their clashes.