Halle, London: Borna Coric ended Roger Federer’s 20-match winning streak on grass, beating him 7-6(6) 3-6 6-2 in the Halle Open final on Sunday while also bringing to a halt the Swiss maestro’s reign as world No. 1.
Federer was denied a 10th title in the German grasscourt tournament as Croatian Coric handed the 36-year-old his first setback on an otherwise serene road towards defending his Wimbledon title.
The defeat meant that Rafa Nadal will return to the top of the world rankings on Monday.
Coric, playing in his first grasscourt final, showed great mental toughness and determination to fend off two set points before clinching the opening set after 57 minutes.
Federer responded by applying further pressure on Coric’s serve in the second set before converting a break point in the eighth game to force a decider.
The 21-year-old then broke Federer in the sixth game of the final set when the Swiss sliced a backhand long, before claiming only his second ATP title.
Former finalist Tomas Berdych has been forced to withdraw from next month’s Wimbledon with a back injury.
The 32-year-old Czech reached his only Grand Slam final at Wimbledon in 2010, losing to Rafa Nadal, and has been a semi-finalist for the last two years at the championships that begin on July 2.
“I am disappointed to inform you that I was forced to pull out of the Wimbledon championship,” Berdych wrote on Twitter.
Earlier on Saturday, Novak Djokovic admitted his first final in a year will be a “special moment” as the former world No. 1 prepared to face Marin Cilic in the Queen’s Club title match.
Not since he won the grass-court event at Eastbourne 12 months ago has Djokovic made it to the last day of a tournament.
So the 31-year-old’s 7-6 (7/5,) 6-4 victory over France’s Jeremy Chardy in the semi-finals meant a lot to the Serb.
“It feels great, first one since Eastbourne. So it’s been a year. It is a special moment for me,” he said.
“Obviously I have been hoping to get here and working hard for it.
“So now that I get a chance to fight for a trophy in one of the biggest tournaments on the grass court season, it means a lot to me.
“I’m really pleased with the way I have played throughout the whole week.”
Amid repeated suggestions he had lost his desire for success since completing his career Grand Slam at the 2016 French Open, Djokovic has seemed to be searching for motivation in recent months.
He has played his way back into form with four successive wins in his first appearance at Queen’s since 2010.
He traditionally opts to play only exhibition matches before Wimbledon, but the lawns of Barons Court have proved reinvigorating.
Cilic won 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/3) in the other semi-final against Australia’s Nick Kyrgios.
