Federer splits with Edberg, hires Ljubicic

World No 3 Roger Federer has shaken up his 2016 coaching team with six-time Grand Slam champion Stefan Edberg leaving and Croatian Ivan Ljubicic drafted in to replace the Swede.
Federer, the 17-time Grand Slam winner, issued a statement on his website Tuesday saying that "his childhood idol" Edberg had originally signed up as an assistant coach only for 2014.
"After two very successful years, I would like to thank Stefan Edberg, my childhood idol, for agreeing to join my team," Federer said on www.Rogerfederer.Com.
"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."
The change constitutes another throw of the dice for Federer, 34, as he bids to prolong his stay at the top of men's tennis and add to his all-time record haul of Grand Slam titles.

Federer said that Severin Luthi will continue to be his main coach, continuing a partnership that began in 2008.
Edberg said he had a "wonderful two years" with Federer but made it clear that he always planned to walk away at the end of this season.

"After an amazing 2014, I decided to continue on for another year, but with a clear understanding that it would be my last year given the time commitment," he said in a statement on the ATP website.
"I believe Roger still has a lot left to give to the sport of tennis and is capable of winning the big events... I will always feel part of the Federer team."
The defeat to Raonic still leaves Arthur Ashe as the
oldest Wimbledon men's champion -- and the American achieved that feat a month shy of his 32nd birthday in 1975.
Federer, who underwent surgery earlier this year on the same knee he hurt on Friday, will be 35 next month.

He had made the final at Wimbledon in 2014 and 2015 losing to world number one Novak Djokovic on both occasions.
As the benchmark in the sport, Federer hasn't defeated the Serb at a Slam since the Wimbledon semi-finals in 2012.
Wimbledon has always been Federer's home-from-home even if his first two visits as a pony-tailed contender with a short fuse and dream one-handed backhand ended in first round losses.
But his fourth round defeat of seven-time winner Sampras in 2001 marked him out as the American's natural heir even if 2002 saw a woeful first round exit to Mario Ancic.

That blip was forgotten 12 months later when he won his first Wimbledon, spiking the heavy artillery of Mark Philippoussis in the final.
Since then, he has enjoyed more successes than setbacks.
Federer won the title every year between 2003 and 2007, adding two more in 2009 and 2012.
In between, he lost the 2008 final to Rafael Nadal in what is widely-regarded as the finest men's championship match in history, a five-set epic which ended in semi-darkness.
However, there was also a shock second round exit to world number 116 Sergiy Stakhovsky in 2013.
After his loss on Friday, he tried to take the pressure off the prospect that an eighth Wimbledon title may remain out of reach.

Federer was looking instead to the Olympics and then the US Open, as long as the injury he picked up against Raonic proves not to be serious.
"It's a dream to win my eighth here but it's not the only reason why I play tennis, otherwise I'll go in a freeze box now and come out before Wimbledon next year," he said.
"I know Wimbledon is important, but it's not everything.
"I have played 10 sets (against Cilic and Raonic). It's very encouraging for the season. I was insecure coming into Wimbledon.