HALLE, June 24, 2018
Borna Coric celebrated the biggest triumph in his career by winning the 26th edition of the Gerry Weber Open on Sunday. The 21-year-old from Croatia, who had reached the final without losing a set, maintained a high standard of grass-court tennis to beat nine-time Halle champion Roger Federer 7-6(6), 3-6, 6-2.
Coric saved three of the four break points he faced, converting two of his own to secure victory in two hours and six minutes.
The moment that @borna_coric stunned Roger Federer for the biggest 🏆 of his career!
🌱🙌#GerryWeberOpen pic.twitter.com/xzkct8UuWv
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) 24. Juni 2018
“I’m definitely going to leave with my head high, thinking it’s been a good run in Stuttgart and Halle,” said Federer, who will lost his World No. 1 ranking ahead of Wimbledon after he failed to secure his 10th Halle title.
Borna Coric – photo: : GERRY WEBER OPEN/HalleWestfalen)
Coric has become the first man to beat Federer on grass since Tommy Haas at the 2017 MercedesCup.
“[I am] just really surprised… I had not even dreamed of this,” said Coric. “During the whole whole week I was serving really well. I felt confident that I could hold serve and then automatically I can play with less stress.
“It is the most unbelievable feeling, [to beat Federer]. I looked up to him when I was younger, watching his matches back at home with my mum, my dad and my sister. Just playing him here today was a very special moment and beating him just makes it even bigger for me.”
The #NextGenATP star clinches his second ATP World Tour title following his triumph in Marrakech last year. Coric takes away €427,590 in prize money as well as 500 ATP ranking points.
Kubot/Melo take doubles crown
Later in the day, Lukasz Kubot from Poland and Marcelo Melo of Brazil captured the doubles title in a rematch of last year’s championship battle against Alexander Zverev and Mischa Zverev of Germany.
The top seeds secured a 7-6(1), 6-4 win over the siblings. The final lasted one hour and 27 minutes.
