Tennis: Borna Coric snaps Federer’s grass win streak to win Gerry Weber Open

Borna Coric defeated defending champion Roger Federer 7-6 (6), 3-6, 6-2 to win the Gerry Weber Open final in Halle, Germany, on Sunday.

The 21-year-old Croat saved three of the four break points he faced and took his second match point to end Federer’s 20-match winning streak on grass for his second career title.

Coric, who defeated second-seeded Alexander Zverev in the first round, saved two set points in the first set tiebreaker.

“I was impressed with him,” Federer said after only his third loss of the year. “He was always a tick better in the end and he took his chances.”

Federer, who skipped the entire clay-court season for the second year in a row, had been going for his 99th title, one week after taking his 18th grass-court title in Stuttgart, Germany.

It would have been a record-extending 10th title from his 12th final in Halle.

The Swiss great remains two match wins away from matching Jimmy Connors’ all-time record of 174 victories on grass. As a result of Federer’s loss, Rafael Nadal will reclaim top spot in the ATP rankings on Monday.

Kvitova defends Birmingham title

Petra Kvitova fought back from a set down to beat Magdalena Rybarikova and retain her Birmingham Classic title in Birmingham, England, on Sunday as the Czech player continued her impressive form ahead of Wimbledon.

Kvitova hadn’t dropped a set in Birmingham but was tested by Rybarikova before eventually prevailing 4-6, 6-1, 6-2.

The two-time Wimbledon champion turned on the style after losing the first set and sealed the match with an ace at the end of a love service game.

It was Kvitova’s fifth title this year, more than any other player on the tour. If she maintains this high level for another three weeks, everything seems possible for the player whose career looked seriously in doubt 18 months ago after a knife attack at her home in December 2016.

Cilic rallies to beat Djokovic in London

Marin Cilic as he plays against Novak Djokovic during the final match at the Fever Tree Championship at Queen’s Club on June 24.

(Neil Hall / EPA )

Marin Cilic saved a match point on his way to defeating Novak Djokovic 5-7, 7-6 (4), 6-3 on Sunday as he claimed a second Queen’s Club title.

The top-seeded Croat first won the Wimbledon warmup event in 2012, but was the runner-up in 2013 and also lost to Feliciano Lopez in last year’s final.

Having saved six break points, Djokovic struck with the first chance of his own to clinch a draining 67-minute first set, before a reversal of fortunes in the second.

The 12-time Grand Slam champion wasted an early opportunity to break before Cilic saved a match point at 4-5 and then won six points from 4-1 down in the tiebreaker to level the match.

Cilic produced a stunning forehand passing shot on his way to breaking for a 5-3 lead in the decider and then delivered a nerveless service game to close out the match in just under three hours.