'That’s how Roger Federer won the 2017 Australian Open', says former No. 1

Despite having absolutely incredible natural talent, Roger Federer had to work hard to become one of the best players of all time. The Swiss phenomenon has captured 20 Grand Slam titles, won 103 titles and remained at the top of the ATP rankings for over 300 weeks. This year he only played in the Australian Open before undergoing knee surgery and setting the date for 2021. Triumphing for the 13th time at Roland Garros, Rafael Nadal equaled the 39-year-old Swiss Major's record, which could also be surpassed by Novak Djokovic for the most weeks at the top of the rankings. Stefan Edberg, who coached Federer for two years, recalled his experience with the Basel veteran. Despite failing to win Grand Slams in 2014 and 2015, Roger made two Wimbledon finals and one at the US Open.

Edberg on Roger Federer

Stefan Edberg highlighted, “Well, teaching Roger Federer is not a difficult thing; he’s a very good listener, he knows what to do and he learns very quickly.” During the two years they worked together, the Swedish legend brought some key changes in Federer’s game, which he uses even today. Edberg added, “As you get older, it gets harder so you need to take control of the points. And I think he needed a little bit more, sort of a different kind of game with some more variation.” The game of tennis is a contest of strength and stability; it is also a sport of smart play. With growing age and stiffer legs, consistent performances become a challenge. However, the 39-year-old changed his game with age and started player closer to the net. A combination of quickness and world-class ball-striking allowed the Swiss maestro to continue to be competitive. “I think one of the things that he sort of worked on that really made a difference was when he started to hit this backhand a little bit flatter, took a little bit earlier and that’s how he won the Australian Open in 2017,” said Stefan Edberg. Federer’s former coach concluded, “Even as of today, I’m sure he’s working his butt off to get back into the game and give it another shot in 2021 to get back to the top of the game.” Federer’s schedule for next season is something of a mystery at this stage as he is yet to return from double knee-surgery. It proves to be a busy one, though, with him publicly stating his intention to play the delayed Tokyo Olympics. We can now add the Asian swing to the list of his planned events. “I’ve always enjoyed coming back [to China] and I think the fans are incredibly creative,” Federer said in a Q&A.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/38AhJZS