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Stefan Edberg

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Stefan Edberg was a legendary tennis player from Sweden.

Stefan Edberg 2012-04-25 001
Stefan Edberg 2012-04-25 001

He reached the very top of the sport. He was ranked as the world No. 1 in both men's singles and doubles. Only one other player, John McEnroe, has done this in the Open Era. Edberg won a huge number of professional titles. He won 41 career singles titles and 18 doubles titles. These wins included nine major titles in total. He won six in singles and three in men's doubles. His skill and talent made him a true star on the tennis courts.

Edberg was famous for a specific way of playing called serve-and-volley. This style requires great speed and quick feet. First, he would hit a serve to start the point. He often used a slice or kick serve instead of a very powerful one. This slower serve gave him more time to run toward the net. Once at the net, he used his amazing volleying skills. He could redirect fast balls back into open spaces on the court. He also had a very famous one-handed backhand shot. He switched to this one-handed style later in his youth.

His journey to greatness began when he was a junior player. In the early 1980s, he won the European Junior Championships. He won both the Under 14 and Under 16 categories. In 1983, he achieved something truly special. He won all four Grand Slam junior titles in a single year. This made him the first and only player to win the "Junior Grand Slam" in the open era. He then moved into professional play. He won his first doubles title in Basel in 1983. His first big singles title came in Milan in 1984.

Edberg's professional career was full of intense matches and big wins. In 1985, he won the Australian Open. He beat Ivan Lendl in a massive five-set match. This match was even stopped by rain and played over two days. He also won the Australian Open again in 1987. He defended his title by beating Pat Cash in five sets. His rivalry with Boris Becker was one of the greatest at Wimbledon. Edberg won his final two Grand Slam singles titles at the US Open. He won those in 1991 and 1992. In 1992, he won a very long match that lasted 5 hours and 26 minutes.

Beyond his wins, Edberg was known for his great character. He was a very fair and kind competitor. He won the ATP Sportsmanship Award five times. Because of his many wins, the ATP renamed it the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award. He also helped other players succeed after he retired. From 2014 to 2015, he served as a mentor and coach for Roger Federer. He helped Federer bring more serve-and-volley moves back into his game. Edberg's impact on tennis lives on through his skill and his kindness.

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