Roger Federer’s latest reign atop the world rankings will end after the Swiss legend’s shock loss to Australian qualifier Thanasi Kokkinakis in the second round of the Miami Open on Saturday.
Kokkinakis, ranked 175th in the world, needed a wildcard just to get into qualifying. But he showed nerves of steel in a 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(4) triumph over the 20-time Grand Slam champion.
Federer, who won his 20th Grand Slam crown at the Australian Open, regained the No. 1 spot in February after winning the ATP title in Rotterdam but needed to reach the quarterfinals 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 Swiss also announced that he won’t go for a 21st Grand Slam title at the French Open and will skip the clay-court season.
Bhambri bows out
India’s Yuki Bhambri lost 6-3, 7-6(3) to American Jack Sock in the second round. Interestingly, the 25-year-old Bhambri had beaten Sock in their previous two meetings.
Important results:
Men (second round): Thanasi Kokkinakis bt Roger Federer 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(4); Tomas Berdych bt Yoshihito Nishioka 6-1, 6-4; Nick Kyrgios bt Dusan Lajovic 6-4, 6-1; Jack Sock bt Yuki Bhambri 6-3, 7-6(3).
Women (third round): Agnieszka Radwanska bt Simona Halep 3-6, 6-2, 6-3; Victoria Azarenka bt Anastasija Sevastova 3-6, 6-4, 6-1; Karolina Pliskova bt Hsieh Su-Wei 6-4, 1-6, 7-6(4); Garbine Muguruza bt Christina McHale 6-2, 6-1.