Roger Federer Splits from Coach Stefan Edberg, Adds Ivan Ljubicic to His Team

Tennis superstar Roger Federer has confirmed he has parted company with his coach Stefan Edberg after two years.In a statement on his Facebook page, the 34-year-old world No. 3 thanked the Swede for his assistance since they linked up in 2014 and also confirmed how his coaching team would be structured moving forward, with the introduction of Ivan Ljubicic:After 2 very successful years, I would like to thank Stefan Edberg, my childhood idol, for agreeing to join my team. It was a dream come true. Although it was supposed to only be for 2014, Stefan was great and agreed to extend the partnership through this year which I really appreciated. He taught me so much and his influence on my game will remain. He will always be a part of my team.Severin Luthi, who I have been working with since 2008, will continue to be my main coach and he will be joined by Ivan Ljubicic. Both Daniel Troxler, my physiotherapist and Pierre Paganini, my longtime fitness trainer, will remain part of my technical team.The pair have enjoyed some success as a duo, with Federer winning a total of 11 ATP titles under his tutelage, five in 2014 and six in 2015. However, the Swiss was never able to make a final step in a Grand Slam tournament during their time together, falling at the last hurdle to Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon and in the U.S. Open this year.Still, it seems an amicable separation, with the 17-time Grand Slam winner paying tribute to his idol on Twitter:Edberg won six Grand Slam titles as a player and went some way to reinvigorating Federer after a difficult spell. The Swede certainly sought to make the veteran more attacking in his approach, something that has been crucial to Federer remaining competitive in the twilight of his career.Tennis coach Brad Gilbert praised the decision made by the Swiss and his unshakeable desire to stay on top:Ljubicic was ranked a career-high third in the world during his playing days and won 10 ATP titles. The Croatian was known as a diligent player who was difficult to put away in matches; he was also revered for his exceptional backhand.Federer will be hoping this slight tweak can assist him in adding to his Grand Slam haul in 2016. The opportunities for him to triumph on the biggest stage are dwindling as he approaches the end of his glittering career, especially with Novak Djokovic dominant and Rafael Nadal back on the scene again. But this fresh input could be key to him enjoying a prosperous season.
Click here to read full news..