When he was a 12-year-old Borna Coric said he remembers watching Roger Federer and today he was out on court in a final and beating his childhood idol.
Was it unexpected? Federer had been playing tired all week and in his previous two matches he was pushed against much lower ranked players.
Embed from Getty Images
Photo: HALLE, GERMANY – JUNE 24: Borna Coric of Croatia celebrates after winning the final match against Roger Federer of Switzerland during day seven of the Gerry Weber Open at Gerry Weber Stadium on June 24, 2018 in Halle, Germany. (Photo by Thomas Starke/Getty Images)
Federer first won Halle back in 2003 and had won nine titles before taking on Coric as the world no. 1 played for title no. 10.
In the opening set both players held serve all the way through until they needed a tie-break to decide the outcome. Coric held his nerve to take the breaker 8-6 after being down two set points.
In the second set it was Federer who finally got a break at 4-3, then he served out the next game to level the match at a set apiece.
The final set started with both players holding serve before the Croation lifted his game to break Federer to jump out to a 4-2 lead. Showing no sign of nerves Coric broke again to take the match 7-6(6), 3-6, 6-2.
Coric’s win ended Federer’s 20-match win streak on grass and added to his title won in 2017 at Marrakech.
For Coric he is expected to move to a career-high ranking of no. 21 while Federer again sees Rafael Nadal take the no. 1 rank. A title win would have seen Federer hold onto the top ranking.
With time to freshen up Federer will still be favourite for Wimbledon although the two finalists at the Queen’s Club could have something to say about that. Marin Cilic was taken on Novak Djokovic.
Embed from Getty Images
Photo: HALLE, GERMANY – JUNE 24: Roger Federer was on his knees on match point against Borna Coric of Croatia in the final at the Gerry Weber Open at Gerry Weber Stadium on June 24, 2018 in Halle, Germany. (Photo by Thomas Starke/Getty Images).
