ATP: Borna Coric beats Roger Federer in Shanghai – final against Novak Djokovic

Defending champion Roger Federer has been eliminated from the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Shanghai. The Swiss lost the semi-final to Borna Coric of Croatia, who will face Novak Djokovic in Sunday’s final.

Borna Coric is in the final of an ATP Masters 1000 tournament for the first time: The Croatian defeated defending champion Roger Federer 6-4 and 6-4 in the preliminary round after a very strong performance, especially as a serve, and will face Novak Djokovic in the final on Sunday, who had no problems with Alexander Zverev.

The underdog convinced from the start with his serve, Federer, on the other hand, could not earn a single break chance in the entire first set. After the 6:4 after 45 minutes, Coric also presented in passage two immediately again with break. And again the Croat was not to be cracked with own service: With his ninth ace, Coric got his first match point, which he used after 74 minutes.

Federer and Coric had already met twice this year: In Indian Wells, the 20-time Major winner had just been ahead, Coric returned the favour in Halle/Westfalen, where the 21-year-old won against Federer in the final.

Coric had defeated Stan Wawrinka in three sets at the beginning of the tournament and benefited from Juan Martin del Potro’s abandonment in the last 16. Federer, on the other hand, had started his title defence mission with problems, the Basel bidder had shown his best performance in the quarter-finals against Kei Nishikori.

In the final, Coric will play Novak Djokovic, who beat Alexander Zverev 6:2 and 6:1 in the preliminary round. It will be the third meeting of the two Balkan men – Djokovic has won the two previous ones in two sets each.

Here the single tableau in Shanghai