Freelance journalist Catherine Whitaker, who’s been interviewing players at the US Open for British Eurosport, considers the one with Stefan Edberg the best interview she’s had in Flushing Meadows this year.

Unfortunately, we don’t have that interview to show you, but Whitaker talked about it during a Tennis Podcast from New York with her colleague David Law. The journalist asked Stefan (off records) about his influence on the SABR (Sneaky Attack By Roger), the aggressive half-volley return that Federer has been showing in the North American summer swing and that has been raising so much attention during the US Open.

In the audio excerpt from the Tennis Podcast below you can hear about Stefan’s answer and some interesting comments on why the partnership between him and Roger has been so successful so far. (mc)

"I see myself more helping kids in Switzerland at the National Tennis Centre," he replied to Annabel Croft's question, adding that travelling the tour again would be unlikely for him, "even if 10-15-16 weeks per year are not that much."

"I don't think Edberg thought that as well, and then, 15 years later, I gave him a call and he said 'Why not...'," smiled Federer.

Roger also talked of his US Open memories, that, surprisingly, are not very early. He only remembers something of Stefan Edberg and Pat Rafter, while he can recall more clearly Martina Hingis, champion of the tournament in 1997. "We were both juniors at the time, but she was here winning and I was at home..."

Watch the entire interview in the video below.

Asked by Sky Sports Uk, Boris Becker frankly showed he didn't appreciate Roger Federer's sneaky attack, the half-volley return the media have talked so much about during the North American summer swing.

"My generation would have hit him on first serve. If he would have played McEnroe, Lendl or Connors or even me, we would have said, Roger, in all honesty, I like you very much, one more time, I go straight at you. In my generation, guys wouldn’t have accepted as it is now. For sure."

from India Times.com
by David Waldstein

Federer has stirred curiosity on the tour since he unveiled an unusual return of service last month in a tournament in Cincinnati.

Before returning an opponent's second serve, Federer, on a few occasions, darted forward to the edge of the service line and took the ball quickly with a little half­volley. [...]

He began using it in practice. His coach, Stefan Edberg, encouraged him to keep trying, even if it felt awkward, even if he felt a bit like a prisoner stepping forward to face a firing squad. [...]

"When you lose a point with it, you feel a bit ridiculous," Federer said Tuesday after employing it a handful of times in his 6­1, 6­2, 6­2 victory over Leonardo Mayer in the first round of the United States Open. "But when you win the point, it's a great feeling." [...] "Sometimes I stand there and I'm like, 'Should I or shouldn't I?' " Federer said. "And then it's like, 'OK, whatever, I'm going.' [...]

The first time the fans in Arthur Ashe Stadium saw it Tuesday, in the first game of the second set, many of them let out an "Oooohhhh." Mayer, under pressure, tried to hit a passing shot, but it went long. On another occasion, Federer's block backhand went into the net. On another, Mayer double­faulted, perhaps rattled to see Federer attacking again.

from CNN
by Ravi Ubha

Roger Federer's coach, Stefan Edberg, was known as an attacking player during his day.

Serving and volleying, as well as chipping and charging the net, helped the Swede amass six grand slam titles in the 1980s and '90s. But not even Edberg employed some of the audacious tactics Federer has used in the past month.

The Swiss approached the net at the Cincinnati Masters after half-volleying second-serve returns, and the unconventional ploy contributed to Federer ousting both top-ranked Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray, then the No. 2, en route to a seventh title.

All eyes were on Federer -- well, they usually are -- to see if the men's record 17-time grand slam winner would stick with it at the U.S. Open.

Like at Wimbledon, Roger Federer decided to start his US Open tuneup very early, so he was seen training at Flushing Meadows already yeasterday, five days before the start of the last Major event of the year.

Along with him, Severin Lüthi and Stefan Edberg, who is also already in New York!

Again, Team Fedberg had the first hitting session with Australian Lleyton Hewitt, who will play his last Grand Slam tournament next year at the Australian Open, before stepping away from the Tour. Federer also practiced with David Goffin on Friday and Stan Wawrinka on Saturday.

Here are some pictures of Federer's training sessions and of Stefan and Roger having a chillout walk around New York last Wednesday.

Below, you can also watch a couple of hd videos of the entire practice with Hewitt, under Stefan's eyes, that were filmed live and posted on Youtube by user Hugo Legend. (mc)

During the final days of the Cincinnati Western and Southern Open, many Twitter users dedicated their posts to Stefan Edberg, appreciating his influence on the new aggressive style of play Federer has been showing since the start of their partnership and that has been earning the Swiss great success in spite of the fact he is now one of the old guys of the Tour.

Below you can find a collection of the best Fedberg tweets posted in the last few days, that also prove how Stefan Edberg's status as coach is growing more and more. Let's hope this can help keep Stefan on the Tour, even beyond Federer, to start a revival of attacking tennis in the new generations of players. (mc).

In the media conference following his seventh title at the Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati, Roger Federer paid homage to coach Stefan Edberg for the wonderful results of the last year and a half, but refused to relate his improvements on the backhand side to the  Swede's advise.

"Honestly, I think I would like to give Stefan a lot of credit and he has helped me in a big way, - said the Swiss. - But I think the backhand is better since I also have a bigger racquet head. I really think that was the change."

No doubt, instead, about Edberg's influence on his new offensive attitude: "Of course Stefan wants me to play up in the court and move in as much as possible but in a clever way," added the Swiss.

In Federer's words, Stefan Edberg will arrive in New York "in the next few days", which lets imagine the duo will have an early preparation to the last Major of the season, like in Wimbledon, where Edberg arrived on the Wednesday before the start of the tournament. (mc)

Even though he clearly preferred the sliced backhand, his coach Stefan Edberg, whose forehand was not as good as Federer's, used the same strategy at times more than twenty years ago to anticipate the return and take control of the net. His position was not as advanced and his swing was more complete than Federer's, but the aim was the same: surprise the opponent in key situations of the match and close the rally quickly at the net.

In this short clip you can admire two examples of net rush following the forehand return, in two finals played by Stefan against Jim Courier, the first won at the 1991 US Open and the second lost at the 1993 Australian Open.(mc)

The Swiss took the tournament in style, never losing his serve, without losing a set, with more than 70% of points won at the net and playing some unprecedented shots that reminded of his coach's lesson on how to shorten rallies.

Here's the "Edberg effect" in Cincinnati in three hot shots played by Federer. (mc)