Halle Westfalen (Germany), June 25: Croatian Borna Coric denied Roger Federer the 99th title of his career on Sunday with a 7-6 (8/6), 3-6, 6-2 defeat in the final of the ATP Halle grass event.
Federer also lost the number one spot in ATP rankings to Rafael Nadal, and missed a chance to earn a record 10th title at the German venue.
Federer dropped the opening set in a tiebreak but levelled by winning the second. Coric held his nerve to take victory.
The Croatian outsider ranked 34th also ended Federer’s 20-match win streak on grass, which stretched to June, 2017.
The Swiss will drop to second in the world behind Rafael Nadal, who is playing no tune-up events prior to the start of Wimbledon a week from Monday.
The loss in just over two hours means came a week after Federer won his 98th title in Stuttgart.
