Edberg joins Federer coaching team
BRISBANE, Australia—Roger Federer has arrived in Australia for the Brisbane International with a refreshed outlook for 2014, injury-free and with a new coach on his team.
“It’s the first time in a year that I could practice three, four weeks in a row without any setbacks ... Iwas able to domore than I thought which is very encouraging,” Federer said Saturday. “I didn’t play any exhibitions which allowed me to train extremely hard and for a longer period of time.”
Federer, who will use the Brisbane event as his only warm-up tournament ahead of the Australian Open which begins Jan. 13 in Melbourne, announced on Facebook that he’d hired former Swedish star Stefan Edberg on his coaching team for at least 10weeks.
Federer, the winner of a record 17 Grand Slams, finished the 2013 season ranked No. 6. It was the first year since 2002 he failed to reach a major tournament final.
Edberg, a four-time Grand Slam champion, including the Australian Open in 1985 and 1987, joins Federer’s support team under head coach Severin Luthi.
“Every time I had training (in the past) I had setbacks, little aches and pains, especially in the back from time to time ... which cost me confidence,” Federer said. “These last few months have been important for me, feeling that movement is not an issue any more.”
The Brisbane tournament is also a WTA event which includes Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova as its top draw cards. Next week, the ATP and WTA will again combine at the Sydney International.
Federer, who has a first-round bye, will face either Australian wild card James Duckworth or Finland veteran Jarkko Nieminen in the second round.
No. 2 Kei Nishikori of Japan, No. 3 Gilles Simon of France and fourth-seeded Kevin Anderson of South Africa also received byes into the second round.