Stefan Edberg

In the 80s and 90s, this was a common and delightful sight in world Tennis. A high and hammering serve that was primed for accuracy. A serve and volley exhibition of the highest order. At that time, he was one of the growing list of players that made the one-handed backhand famous. It would have been a overwhelming prospect to come out of the shadows of Bjorn Borg and Mats Wilander in that era. But, Stefan Edberg carved a niche among players. He was an all-conditions player, although the clay of the French Open proved to be his undoing on several occasions.

Edberg continued the rich tradition of great Tennis players from Sweden, putting on a great show against the likes of Boris Becker, Ivan Lendl, Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, and Michael Chang in that era. His rivalry with Becker, in particular, at Wimbledon was sensational. His longevity and consistency were also supreme, reaching the quarterfinals 25 times till his retirement. But, his career almost began with a bloody incident that almost threatened to disrupt his growth.

Edberg was predominantly a serve and volley player. Blessed with an accurate and hard serve, characterized with a high ball toss, Edberg was also a proponent of the one-handed backhand. Grass and hard courts suited Edberg brilliantly but this proved to be his undoing on the clay courts in Europe. 

Born on 19 January 1966 in the town of Vastervik in Sweden, Edberg began his career in grand style as he achieved a Junior Calendar Grand Slam before he had turned 18. By the age of 19, it seemed like the passing of the torch had taken place in Swedish Tennis. At the age of 18, Edberg won the Australian Open in 1985 by beating Mats Wilander. 

That success shot him on the world stage of dominance but he would have to work hard to achieve more. In 1987, Edberg managed to beat Pat Cash in five sets in what would be the final Australian Open played on grass. But, in that period, his rivalry with Boris Becker had reached an epic stage. 

The year 1988 belonged to Sweden, with Wilander winning the Australian, French, and US Open while Edberg claimed the Wimbledon title by beating Becker. However, the German had his revenge in 1989 when he won in straight sets. But, the see-saw tussle between Edberg and Becker reached a crescendo in 1990 in the final. The match went into the fifth set and Edberg was down a break of serve. But, he bounced back to win his second Wimbledon title in grand style. 

The year 1989 would be the closest Edberg would come to clinching a career Grand Slam. Overcoming his weakness on clay, he managed to reach the final. But, he encountered a 17-year-old Michael Chang who beat him in five sets. Chang became the youngest Grand Slam winner in the Open Era. Unfortunately for Edberg, his quest for a career Grand Slam would never be fulfilled. 

For much of 1991 and 1992, Edberg was the number one ranked Tennis player in the world. That period was notable for him winning the US Open. 1991 final was the most lop-sided encounter ever as he defeated Jim Courier in straight sets to ensure he went one better than Borg, who lost in four finals in the US Open. But, in 1992, he showed he still had the determination to make it big. In the semi-final, he battled hard and after five hours and 26 minutes, he emerged victorious in a dogfight against Chang. In the final, boosted by the performance, he managed to beat Pete Sampras. 

Edberg continued to reach the quarterfinal stage and in the finals in several Grand Slams, including the Australian Open. In 1992 and 1993, he lost in the finals to Courier on both occasions by four sets. In 1996, Edberg retired and resided in London. In 2006, he was back on the Tennis courts, but this time as a coach to superstar Roger Federer.

Apart from Grand Slams, Edberg won the bronze medal in the 1988 Seoul Olympics. In the Davis Cup, he put in some memorable performances to help Sweden win four titles in 1984, 1985, 1987, and 1994.

Grand Slam record

Australian Open: W (1985, 1987)

French Open: F (1989)

Wimbledon: W (1988, 1990)

US Open: W (1991, 1992)

1988 Seoul Olympics: Bronze medal