BRISBANE: Roger Federer’s new alliance with Stefan Edberg appears to be a sign he will be adopt a more aggressive game in 2014 but the Swiss believes it will be tough to make changes in time for this month’s Australian Open.

Federer’s decision to bring Swede Edberg in to work alongside head coach Severin Luethi, along with a switch to a bigger racket, illustrates an unwillingness to accept the trend of the world’s top pair Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic pounding him into submission from the baseline.

The former world number one has spoken about Edberg, renowned as one of the best volleyers of all-time, helping him create angles to get to the net but the fast pace of the courts at Melbourne Park may make him less inclined to use that ploy.

There was little sign of a more pronounced net-game in Federer’s 6-4 6-2 victory over Jarkko Nieminen…