One of the best representatives of men's tennis in the mid-80s and early 90s, who received the title of Gentleman of the Court, entered the International Tennis Hall of Fame. And all this is about one person, the Swedish and world tennis star Stefan Edberg. Many fans with experience will forever remember the unforgettable style of this player. And many young tennis players who are now on the court, studied with this athlete. What kind of athlete and person is Stefan Edberg?
Young tennis player
The future winner of the Grand Slam tournaments was born in the small Swedish town of Westerwick in the middle of the winter of 1966. Unlike many famous tennis players, Stefan Edberg gets on the court quite late by modern standards, then he turned seven years old. And after the first acquaintance with tennis, the young man wanted to stop his training and try himself in another sport. But his first coach saw a great talent in this boy and persuaded him not to quit tennis. Stefan Edberg quickly progressed as a young athlete. By the age of fourteen, he has achieved tremendous success in tennis among juniors. What this young man has done, to this day could not even be repeated by any junior. Stefan Edberg wins the Grand Slam in the men's singles. Until the age of sixteen, he performs in junior tennis, and then goes into an adult professional tour.
First successes on the tennis court
It is 1983 that becomes a landmark year for a junior named Edberg Stefan, immediately after winning the Grand Slam, in the same year he plays his first matches in adult tennis. The first success had to wait not so long. The very next year, an eighteen-year-old tennis player wins his first title in the Asia-Pacific tour. After that, during his career, he brought the number of victories in the men's singles to forty-two. At the same time, Edberg Stefan ends his first full calendar year in the first twenty of the world ranking. And after a year, the tennis player finishes in the top five. Thus, within two years, there was a take-off from an unknown athlete to one of the leaders of the APR tour. Although the time when Stefan Bengt Edberg takes first place in the world ranking, you will have to wait another six years.
Grand Slam Wins
Unlike the successes in junior tennis, Stefan Edberg, his further career was full of difficulties. The most uncomfortable for the tennis player was the French Open. Throughout his career, the tennis player has not been able to win this tournament. Although Stefan Edberg, a Swedish tennis player, finally reached the finals of this tournament in 1989, here he loses to the young rising star of American tennis Michael Chang. For American tennis, it was a success that fans have been waiting for more than fifty years. And in general, that year was bad enough for a tennis player. After a few months, he loses the Wimbledon finals.
Nevertheless, the tennis player won six Grand Slam tournaments. Since 1990, the most unsuccessful tournament was the Australian Championship, three times Stefan Edberg loses in the finals of this tournament and until the end of his tennis career will never win it again. Although this is exactly the competition in which he won his first victory in Grand Slam tournaments in 1985.
Stefan Edberg's Style of Play
What helped the tennis player achieve such success? Contemporaries of the athlete and his fans have repeatedly noted his magnificent first serve. It was thanks to her that he managed to win many matches and tournaments. If we talk about the tennis player’s favorite blow, many note the perfect backhand and game from the summer near the net. Realizing his best elements of the game, the tennis player, together with his tennis headquarters, combined them into one combination, which more than once gave the athlete an advantage over his opponents. It looked like this: a powerful feed, access to the grid and a confident game from the summer. Currently, few players use this technique, which was perfectly mastered by Edberg Stefan, a tennis player who very often used this combination successfully.
Tennis career ending
In 1992, Stefan wins his last Grand Slam. The following year, he participates in his last final at the Grand Slam tournament, two years later only one tournament wins in a season. After that, after spending another year without trophies, the tennis player decides to end his career at the age of thirty. Parting with the court was quite difficult. After that, the tennis player could not even come close to the court for several months. After completing a career, Edberg went into business. In his homeland in Sweden, he owns several successful businesses and also continues to work with Adidas.
The personal life of Stefan Edberg
The personal life of the tennis player was also successful. After the end of his tennis career, he and his wife Annette settled in the small Swedish city of Grimslov.
His family currently has four members. Two children have already grown up. The son followed in his father's footsteps and plays tennis, although he did not achieve much success. Stefan adhered to the principle that there is no need to force children to engage in a particular sport, they themselves must make their choice. Edberg did not forget his favorite sport; in 2014, he began to train Roger Federer. This collaboration lasted two years. But now the former first racket of the world sometimes goes to court, however, now in legends tournaments.