Federer to lose No. 1 ranking after shock loss to Kokkinakis

Thanasi Kokkinakis of Australia celebrates match point against Roger Federer (inset) of Switzerland in their second round match during the Miami Open Presented by Itau at Crandon Park Tennis Center on March 24, 2018, in Key Biscayne, Florida. AFP

MIAMI, United States — Roger Federer’s latest reign atop the world rankings will end after the Swiss great’s shock loss to Australian qualifier Thanasi Kokkinakis in the second round of the Miami Masters on Saturday.

Kokkinakis, ranked 175th in the world, needed a wild card just to get into qualifying. But he showed nerves of steel in a 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) triumph over 20-time Grand Slam champion Federer.

Federer, who won his 20th Grand Slam crown at the Australian Open, regained the number one spot in February after winning the ATP title in Rotterdam, needed to reach the quarter-finals to remain at the summit.

Instead he’ll be replaced by Spain’s Rafael Nadal when the rankings are released at the end of the tournament.

The 21-year-old Kokkinakis, who has battled injury in his young career, became the lowest-ranked player to beat a world number one since Spain’s Francisco Clavet was 178th when he upset top-ranked Lleyton Hewitt in the second round at Miami in 2003.

Federer appeared firmly in control when he breezed through the first set without facing a break point, dropping just six points on his own serve. His lone break for a 3-1 lead was all he needed to pocket the set.

But Kokkinakis seized upon a lackluster service game from Federer to break for a 3-1 lead in the second, holding firm on his own serve to force the decider.

Federer was again impenetrable on his serve in the third, but he was unable to capitalize on his only two break points, both in a marathon sixth game, as they went on serve to the tiebreaker.

Two errors from Federer gave Kokkinakis a 4-3 lead. A stinging forehand winner put the young Aussie up 6-4, and he closed it out when Federer netted a backhand service return. /cbb