Roger Federer has not recovered well from his first defeat of the season: Less than a week after the lost Indian Wells final, the industry leader went bankrupt for the second time in a row in Miami and will also have to hand over the world ranking lead to the currently injured Rafael Nadal (Spain) next week. Federer lost his opening match in Florida to Australian qualifier Thanasi Kokkinakis in 2:21 hours 6:3, 3:6, 6:7 (4:7).
After 2:21 hours Kokkinakis turned his first match point. The 21-year-old will face 34-year-old Spaniard Fernando Verdasco (No. 31) on Monday in the match to reach the round of 16.
Federer had won the Miami title for the third time in his dream season after 2005 and 2006. The 36-year-old actually felt at home in the glittering metropolis on the Atlantic. In the past few days, pictures of him and his four children walking around the world on Miami Beach have been shown. Federer as “Daddy Cool” so to speak.
However, strenuous weeks are also behind the Australian Open winner, who had a 17-1 victory over Kokkinakis before the duel. After his first defeat of the season against Juan Martin del Potro (Argentina) last Sunday, the Maestro set off for a promotional event for the Laver Cup in Chicago before flying from Windy City to Florida.
At first, everything went according to plan for the Swiss on Saturday. Federer took the world rankings-175. Kokkinakis took the early serve and was leading 3:1. In the next game he showed his little gold hand as he hit a volley behind his back – Federer brought the ball back into the Australian’s field, but still did not make the point. After 34 minutes, however, the superstar used his second set point – thanks to his second ace.
Afterwards, however, the game completely slipped away from him. Federer seemed nervous, had an underground quota, especially at the second serve – and stood beside himself. Kokkinakis, who in recent years has been plagued by injury problems and in 2015 was already number 69 in the world, kept a cool head and carried his break (to 3:1) until he won the second set. It was the fifth match of the Davis Cup player from Adelaide in the last six days.
In the decisive round, it initially looked as if Federer could stabilise. The service got better again. As always and everywhere in the world, the Swiss was loudly supported by the spectators on the Centre Court on the island of Key Biscayne off the coast. Especially in tight phases. Kokkinakis did not withdraw and waited for his chance. Federer was leading 3-2 in the tiebreak, but the Australian was also the better player in the final phase.