Borna Ćorić

[Damian]

ATP Szanghaj: Novak Djoković zagra o tytuł i o zbliżenie się do pozycji lidera rankingu. Mecz życia Borny Coricia

Spoiler:

W finale rozgrywanego na kortach twardych turnieju ATP World Tour Masters 1000 w Szanghaju Novak Djoković zmierzy się z Borną Coriciem. Dla Serba będzie to mecz nie tylko o tytuł, ale i o zbliżenie się do awansu na pozycję lidera rankingu.
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Czytaj także:

ATP Szanghaj: Novak Djoković rozgromił Alexandra Zvereva. Serb będzie wiceliderem rankingu

ATP Szanghaj: Novak Djoković zagra o tytuł i o zbliżenie się do pozycji lidera rankingu. Mecz życia Borny Coricia

Pique w Szanghaju. Wykorzystał przerwę reprezentacyjną do negocjacji z gwiazdami
Finał turnieju ATP Masters 1000 w Szanghaju będzie starciem mistrza z pretendentem. Naprzeciw siebie staną jeden z najwybitniejszych tenisistów w historii, 14-krotny zwycięzca turniejów wielkoszlemowych i 31-krotny triumfator imprez Masters 1000, Novak Djoković, oraz aspirujący do największych sukcesów 21-letni Borna Corić, czołowy przedstawiciel grupy graczy młodego pokolenia.
W drodze do finału Shanghai Rolex Masters Djoković nie pozostawił rywalom większych złudzeń. W czterech meczach nie przegrał ani jednego seta i w żadnym spotkaniu nie stracił więcej niż dziewięciu gemów. Wyeliminował kolejno: Jeremy'ego Chardy'ego (7:5, 6:3), Marco Cecchinato (6:4, 6:0), Kevina Andersona [7:6(1), 6:3] i Alexandra Zvereva (6:2, 6:1).

Corić natomiast ma za sobą pięć pojedynków, bo w I rundzie nie otrzymał wolnego losu. Rozpoczął od pokonania 4:6, 6:4, 6:3 Stana Wawrinki. Następnie wygrał 6:4, 6:2 z Bradleyem Klahnem, a w III rundzie z Juanem Martin del Potro rozegrał tylko jedną partię (Argentyńczyk poddał mecz po przegraniu 5:7 pierwszego seta). W 1/4 finału ograł 7:5, 6:4 Matthew Ebdena, natomiast w półfinale okazał się lepszy od broniącego tytułu Rogera Federera (6:4, 6:4).

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Dla Serba będzie to 103. w karierze finał imprezy głównego cyklu. Jeśli wygra, zdobędzie 72. tytuł. O trofeum serii ATP Masters 1000 zagra po raz 46. Pod tym względem ustępuje Rafaelowi Nadalowi (49 finałów) i Federerowi (48). Jak dotychczas zgromadził 31 tytułów tej rangi (więcej, 33, ma jedynie Nadal). W tym roku tenisista z Belgradu zwyciężył w trzech turniejach - wielkoszlemowych Wimbledonie i US Open oraz imprezie złotej serii w Cincinnati.

ZOBACZ WIDEO: Wielki sukces Karola Drzewieckiego w Pekao Szczecin Open: Chłonę wiedzę jak gąbka


Z kolei Chorwat pierwszy raz w karierze wystąpi w finale zawodów Masters 1000. Ogółem dla gracza z Zagrzebia będzie to piąty mecz o tytuł w głównym cyklu. Ma w dorobku dwa mistrzostwa. W 2017 roku wygrał w Marrakeszu, a w tym sezonie w Halle. Obie finałowe porażki zanotował w sezonie 2016, gdy przegrał finały w Madrasie i w Marrakeszu.
Niedzielny mecz będzie trzecim pomiędzy Djokoviciem a Coriciem. Oba poprzednie rozegrali na nawierzchni ziemnej i dwukrotnie bez straty seta lepszy okazał się Serb. W 2016 roku w II rundzie w Madrycie zwyciężył 6:2, 6:4, natomiast w maju tego roku w II rundzie w Monte Carlo triumfował 7:6(2), 7:5.

Djoković kontynuuje serię 16. kolejnych wygranych meczów. Ostatnią porażkę poniósł 9 sierpnia, gdy w III rundzie w Toronto uległ Stefanosowi Tsitsipasowi. Jeśli zwycięży w niedzielę, nie tylko zdobędzie kolejny tytuł, ale i zbliży się do awansu na pozycję lidera rankingu ATP. Do prowadzącego Nadala będzie wówczas tracił zaledwie 35 punktów. Dla Coricia natomiast będzie to najważniejszy pojedynek w dotychczasowej karierze.

Początek spotkania o godz. 10:30 czasu polskiego.

https://sportowefakty.wp.pl/tenis/78269 ... -lidera-ra

[Barty]

Finał Szanghaju 2018.

22-letni gracz po raz pierwszy zagrał w finale turnieju M-1000. Pomimo porażki z Novakiem Djokoviciem, pozostawił po sobie dobre wrażenie. Corić ma w tej chwili ujemny bilans finałów (2-3).


News.com.au

Borna Corić - przegrane finały (3):
2018 (1) ATP Masters-1000 Szanghaj
2016 (2) Marrakech, Chennai

[Damian]

15.10.2018

Najwyższy ranking w karierze: 13

[Saboteur]

Coric's Late Surge In Shanghai, Mover Of The Week

Spoiler:

ATPWorldTour.com looks at the top Movers of the Week in the ATP Race To London, as of Monday, 15 October 2018

No. 11 Borna Coric, +10
The Croatian soared 10 spots to No. 11 in the ATP Race To London as a result of contesting his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 final at the Rolex Shanghai Masters (l. to Djokovic). The 21-year-old beat Stan Wawrinka, Bradley Klahn, Juan Martin del Potro, Matthew Ebden and Roger Federer en route to his fifth title match. Coric also beat Roger Federer in June for the Gerry Weber Open title in Halle. Read More & Watch Shanghai Final Highlights

Three singles berths remain up for grabs at the Nitto ATP Finals, to be held at The O2 in London from 11-18 November, with just three weeks left in the regular ATP World Tour season. Marin Cilic (3,825 points), Kevin Anderson (3,720) and Dominic Thiem (3,535) hold the automatic qualification berths. Coric is 1,235 points behind eighth-placed Thiem. Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Federer, Del Potro and Alexander Zverev have already booked their places at the prestigious season finale. Buy Your London Tickets Today

View Latest ATP Race To London Standings

No. 9 Kei Nishikori, +1
The Japanese star rose one place to ninth position, supplanting American John Isner, after he advanced to the Shanghai quarter-finals (l. to Federer). Nishikori went 6-2 on the Asian swing, including a runner-up finish at the Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships 2018 (l. to Medvedev). With 3,000 points, he remains 535 points behind Thiem.

No. 13 Kyle Edmund, +2
The Briton reached his second Masters 1000 quarter-final, five months on from his first at the Mutua Madrid Open (l. to Shapovalov), losing to Zverev in Shanghai. With a two-place rise to 13th in the ATP Race To London, Edmund showed the kind of form that took him to the Australian Open semi-finals (l. to Cilic) and also the Grand Prix Hassan II final (l. to Andujar) earlier this year.

https://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/co ... tober-2018

[grzes430]

Coric: 'It Was A Very Good Lesson'

Spoiler:

Croatian falls short in first Masters 1000 final
Borna Coric arrived in Shanghai with no momentum. The Croatian had lost in the first round at the Shenzhen Open and the China Open, and was even considering withdrawing from the Rolex Shanghai Masters due to neck stiffness. Then the 21-year-old dropped the first set of his opening-round match against Stan Wawrinka.

But Coric summoned some of the best tennis of his career to navigate his way to his maiden ATP World Tour Masters 1000 final, where only the red-hot Novak Djokovic was able to stop him.

“I'm just happy with the whole week. I think it was a really good week for me, from basically me thinking on Monday morning I'm going to fly out on Monday evening after my first match to playing [in the] final, [my] first in a [Masters] 1000 event,” Coric said. “It's awesome. I need to look from the positive sides, and I need to take only positives from this week.”

You May Also Like: 10 Things To Know About Borna Coric
This time last year, Coric had fallen outside the Top 50 of the ATP Rankings. Forget making a run in Shanghai — he lost in the first round of qualifying in straight sets.

“Last year in this time obviously I was really struggling. I was not playing well,” Coric said. “In the offseason I decided to change my whole team. I decided to change my approach, as well. I was training for six weeks. I had a really good offseason and the longest offseason so far. I think I started gaining some benefit from that at the beginning of the year. Obviously then I started playing just better and better and that gave me some confidence for later on.”

That confidence has done Coric wonders, as the Croat has excelled throughout the season. The only players who have won more Masters 1000 matches in 2018 are Alexander Zverev (22) and Djokovic (20). Beating Roger Federer twice in the same year — once to triumph at the Gerry Weber Open and again this week in the semi-finals — doesn’t hurt.


“Absolutely I did prove to myself that I can beat the best players again and that I can play good tennis. It helped me a lot for the next two tournaments,” Coric said. “[Over the] past two weeks after my Davis Cup tie, I didn't feel particularly well. When I came in China, I'm always struggling here in China, to be honest, with the weather a little bit, maybe it's the time zone, I'm not sure... so now also that I played this tournament okay and also next year, just coming here, I'm going to be more relaxed probably.”

It might be disappointing for Coric not to lift the trophy, which would have been his third at tour-level. But it was simply a case of Djokovic being the better player on the day.

“He was the much better player on the court. I was playing good, really. I was really happy how I played,” Coric said. “I couldn't play much better today, to be honest. I could serve maybe a little bit better, but still, I felt even if I was serving little bit better, he'd still return my serves. So there is nothing I can do.

“It was really tough, I need to say. I just didn't know what to do exactly. He was the much better player on the court today. There is no doubt about that.”


That happens to some of the best players in the world, as nobody wins every match. But Coric is certainly improving, and he will climb to a career-high No. 13 in the ATP Rankings on Monday. If nothing else, his loss can help him grow even more.

“It was very good lesson today. I didn't enjoy it as much, to be honest. But now when I look back on it, it's a very good lesson,” Coric said. “I think I can learn a lot from this match. I'm going to look at it when I have some time off. For sure I think he played really, really unbelievable tennis. So I'm going to try to learn something. And it's like I said, I'm going to just take positives from this week.”

https://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/co ... l-reaction

[grzes430]

Borna Corić: To dla mnie bardzo dobra lekcja

Spoiler:

- To dla mnie bardzo dobra lekcja. Będąc na korcie, nie cieszyłem się tym, ale teraz mogę to odbierać w tych kategoriach - mówił Borna Corić, który w finale turnieju ATP Masters 1000 w Szanghaju przegrał z Novakiem Djokoviciem.
Marcin Motyka
Marcin Motyka
15 Października 2018, 14:16
Udostępnij 8 Tweetnij Skomentuj 1

Getty Images / Al Bello / Na zdjęciu: Borna Corić
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ATP Szanghaj: Novak Djoković wygrał bałkański finał. Serb odzyskał kolejny tytuł
- Uważam, że zagrałem dobrze. Jestem zadowolony z tego, jak się zaprezentowałem, ale on był o wiele lepszym tenisistą na korcie i nie mam co do tego wątpliwości. Nie mogłem pokazać lepszego tenisa. Może mogłem nieco lepiej serwować, ale mam wrażenie, że nawet gdyby mi się to udało, on wciąż właściwie by returnował - mówił Borna Corić po porażce 3:6, 4:6 z Novakiem Djokoviciem w finale turnieju ATP Masters 1000 w Szanghaju.
Dla 21-latka z Zagrzebia był to pierwszy w karierze występ w meczu o tytuł imprezy rangi ATP World Tour Masters 1000. - To dla mnie bardzo dobra lekcja. Będąc na korcie, nie cieszyłem się tym, ale teraz mogę to odbierać w tych kategoriach. Kiedy będę miał trochę wolnego czasu, na pewno obejrzę ten mecz, bo on grał niesamowicie.

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- Jestem zadowolony z tego całego tygodnia - kontynuował Chorwat. - W poniedziałek wieczorem po moim pierwszym meczu mogłem już być wyeliminowany z turnieju, a dotarłem do końca i zagrałem w finale. To niesamowite.

- Udowodniłem, że potrafię grać na wysokim poziomie i pokonywać najlepszych. Muszę zachować pozytywne rzeczy z tego tygodnia i wyciągnąć wnioski z finału - dodał Corić.

https://sportowefakty.wp.pl/tenis/78287 ... bra-lekcja

[arti]

[arti]

Piękny gest Borny Coricia. Tenisista sprezentował bilety kibicowi z Polski

Spoiler:

Borna Corić pokazał klasę podczas halowego turnieju ATP World Tour 500 rozgrywanego na kortach twardych w Wiedniu. Chorwacki tenisista obdarował biletami polskiego fana i jego przyjaciela.

Kibice chcieli nabyć wejściówki na piątkowe lub sobotnie mecze zawodów Erste Bank Open 500, ale te nie były już dostępne w sprzedaży. Wówczas pomoc polskiemu fanowi zaoferował Borna Corić, który w tym tygodniu startuje w wiedeńskim turnieju. Chorwat odpowiedział na zapytanie Polaka w mediach społecznościowych.

Tenisiści często otrzymują od organizatorów darmowe bilety, które przeznaczają dla swoich krewnych, przyjaciół lub fanów. Teraz Corić postanowił sprezentować dwie wejściówki polskiemu kibicowi i jego przyjacielowi, którzy pytali o nie organizatorów i zawodników na Twitterze.


Nasz rodak był zaskoczony odzewem 13. rakiety globu. Jeszcze przed przyjazdem do Wiednia dopytywał się, czy Corić sobie z niego nie żartuje. Rozbawiony Chorwat przyznał, że byłby to całkiem niezły dowcip. Szybko jednak potwierdziło się, że dwa bilety czekały na szczęśliwych odbiorców. W piątek będą mogli zobaczyć, jak tenisista z Zagrzebia walczy o półfinał z Kevinem Andersonem.

https://sportowefakty.wp.pl/tenis/78492 ... i-z-polski

[Damian]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsN20Ay ... A&index=20[/youtube]

[Damian]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZzLUxj ... A&index=18[/youtube]

[Damian]

05.11.2018

Najwyższy ranking w karierze: 12

[arti]

[Damian]

Puchar Davisa: Marin Cilić pokonał Jo-Wilfrieda Tsongę. Chorwacja o punkt od trofeum

Spoiler:

Chorwacja prowadzi 2-0 z Francją po pierwszym dniu rozgrywanego na korcie ziemnym w hali w Lille finału Pucharu Davisa 2018. W drugiej piątkowej grze Marin Cilić w trzech setach pokonał Jo-Wilfrieda Tsongę.

Choć Jo-Wilfried Tsonga w połowie września wrócił do rozgrywek po półrocznej absencji spowodowanej kontuzją oraz operacją kolana i od tego czasu rozegrał ledwie pięć meczów, wygrywając tylko jeden, został powołany do reprezentacji Francji na finał Pucharu Davisa przeciw Chorwacji. Co więcej, kapitan Trójkolorowych, Yannick Noah, posłał go w bój jako jedną z dwóch rakiet singlowych i tenisista z Le Mans w piątek zmierzył się z liderem ekipy gości, Marinem Ciliciem.
Tsonga i Cilić wyszli na kort przy stanie 1-0 dla Chorwacji, po tym, jak w pierwszej grze Borna Corić w trzech partiach uporał się z Jeremym Chardym. I ten pojedynek także zakończył się trzysetową wygraną reprezentanta drużyny przyjezdnych.

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Spotkanie od początku do końca toczyło się pod dyktando Cilicia. Chorwat był agresywniejszy, popełniał mniej błędów, lepiej serwował oraz narzucał własne warunki gry w wymianach. Tsondze nie pomógł ani gorący doping miejscowej publiczności, która szczelnie wypełniła trybuny Stade Pierre-Mauroy, ani ceglana mączka, a więc teoretycznie nawierzchnia najmniej odpowiadająca jego przeciwnikowi.

Mecz zakończył się wynikiem 6:3, 7:5, 6:4 dla Cilicia. O losach każdego z setów decydowało jedno przełamanie. Tsonga próbował wielu rozwiązań, ale żadne nie dawało mu efektu. Tego dnia był co najmniej o klasę słabszy od Chorwata i po ostatniej piłce spotkania ze spuszczoną głową oraz z markotną miną przeżywał porażkę.

W ciągu dwóch godzin i 22 minut walki Cilić zaserwował 12 asów, ani razu nie został przełamany, wykorzystał cztery z pięciu break pointów, posłał 34 zagrania kończące, popełnił 27 niewymuszonych błędów oraz łącznie zdobył 102 punkty, o 27 więcej od rywala. Tsondze natomiast zapisano osiem asów, 25 uderzeń wygrywających i 34 pomyłki własne.

Dzięki zwycięstwu Cilicia oraz wcześniejszej wygranej Coricia Chorwacja po pierwszym dniu finału Pucharu Davisa prowadzi 2-0 i, by zdobyć trofeum, potrzebuje już tylko jednego punktu. Kropkę nad "i" tenisiści z Bałkanów będą mogli postawić w sobotę, w meczu deblowym.


REKLAMA
Francja - Chorwacja 0:2, Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille (Francja)
finał Grupy Światowej, kort ziemny w hali
piątek-niedziela, 23-25 listopada
Gra 1.: Jeremy Chardy - Borna Corić 2:6, 5:7, 4:6
Gra 2.: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga - Marin Cilić 3:6, 5:7, 4:6
Gra 3.: Pierre-Hugues Herbert / Nicolas Mahut - Ivan Dodig / Mate Pavić *sobota godz. 14:00
Gra 4.: Jeremy Chardy - Marin Cilić *niedziela godz. 13:00
Gra 5.: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga - Borna Corić *niedziela

https://sportowefakty.wp.pl/tenis/79025 ... t-od-trofe

[Barty]

Cilic Clinches Second Davis Cup Crown For Croatia

Spoiler:

Visiting nation notched three straight-sets singles wins

FRANCE 1, CROATIA 3
Lille, France (Indoor Clay)

Marin Cilic ended Croatia's 13-year wait for a second Davis Cup title on Sunday, beating Lucas Pouille 7-6(3), 6-3, 6-3 at the Stade Pierre Mauroy in Lille.

The World No. 7 needed two hours and 19 minutes to secure victory for the visiting nation, winning 89 per cent of first-serve points and landing 16 forehand winners. Cilic has now won a record 39 Davis Cup rubbers for Croatia (39-17), which includes 29 wins from 40 singles encounters.

“It’s not every day that you become a world champion,” said Cilic. “For us it’s a dream come true, for this nation, we are so passionate, you can see the fans are enjoying themselves. I feel that in Croatia it’s going to be incredible too.”

Cilic ends his season with 44 tour-level wins for the second straight year. The World No. 7 lifted his 18th tour-level title at the Fever-Tree Championships in June, saving one championship point to overcome Novak Djokovic. Cilic has claimed at least one tour-level title in each of the past 11 ATP World Tour seasons.

After falling to a 3-2 loss against Argentina in the 2016 final, Croatia was appearing in its third Davis Cup final. In 2005, Ivan Ljubicic and Mario Ancic led Croatia to its maiden title in the team competition against Slovakia in Bratislava.

France was aiming to become only the second team ever to recover from a 2-0 deficit in a Davis Cup final. Captain Yannick Noah's decision to replace Jeremy Chardy with Lucas Pouille proved to be unsuccessful, with Pouille falling short in his attempt to recreate his 2017 final heroics. Last year, the 24-year-old defeated Steve Darcis 6-3, 6-1, 6-0 in his first live fifth rubber to earn France its 10th Davis Cup title.

https://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/fr ... nal-sunday

[Damian]

Triumfator Pucharu Davisa 2018!


France 24

Wynik finału:
Francja - Chorwacja 1-3

[arti]

2018 w liczbach:

Ranking: 12
Bilans meczów: 40-20
Tytuły: 1 (Halle)
Finały: 1 (Szanghaj M-1000)
Zarobki: $3,015,356

Puchar Davisa 2018;

[Lucas]

Borna Corić ma nadzieję na jeszcze lepszy sezon. Chorwat chce awansować do czołowej "10" rankingu

Spoiler:

W sezonie 2018 Borna Corić wykonał bardzo duży postęp. Z 48. miejsca, na którym zaczynał rozgrywki, awansował na 12. pozycję w rankingu ATP, wygrał turniej w Halle, doszedł do finału imprezy ATP Masters 1000 w Szanghaju, a na koniec wraz z kolegami z reprezentacji sięgnął po Puchar Davisa.
- Poprawiłem prawie wszystko - powiedział Chorwat w rozmowie z telewizją SportKlub. - Uzyskałem kilka kilogramów masy mięśniowej, co było dla mnie bardzo ważne i dzięki temu mogłem zmodyfikować swój styl gry na nieco bardziej agresywny. A dzięki doświadczeniom zdobytym w ostatnich sezonach stałem się znacznie bardziej dojrzałym tenisistą zarówno pod względem fizycznym, jak i psychicznym - wymieniał.

22-latek z Zagrzebia wyraził nadzieję, że 2019 rok będzie dla niego jeszcze lepszy. Ma także jasno zdefiniowany cel na nadchodzące rozgrywki. To awans do najlepszej "10" klasyfikacji singlistów.

- Aby to osiągnąć, muszę o wiele lepiej grać w turniejach wielkoszlemowych, które będą dla mnie absolutnym priorytetem w 2019 roku - przyznał Corić, którego najlepszym wielkoszlemowym rezultatem jest jak dotychczas IV runda tegorocznego US Open.

- Po zakończeniu sezonu będę miał 20 dni wolnego. Na początku 2019 roku zagram w Australian Open, ale wcześniej usiądę wraz z moim sztabem, aby przeanalizować wszystkie aspekty, jakie mam do poprawy. Będziemy oglądać moje przegrane oraz wygrane mecze i na podstawie analizy podejmiemy odpowiednie decyzje - dodał.

https://sportowefakty.wp.pl/tenis/79130 ... -do-czolow

[arti]

[Damian]

Rivalries Of 2018: Federer vs. Coric

Spoiler:

ATP World Tour Season In Review: Best Rivalries

Prior to 2018, Borna Coric and Roger Federer had met just once on the ATP World Tour. On that occasion, at the 2015 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, Federer cruised past the Croatian in just 56 minutes to reach the championship match in the Middle East.

This year, none of their three FedEx ATP Head2Head clashes showed any resemblance to that meeting. With three years of learning experience under his belt, Coric's three milestone moments in 2018 were all highlighted by clashes against Federer. With two semi-final encounters and one championship match meeting in 2018, Coric and Federer only met in the latter stages of events as the stakes and both players' form reached peak levels.

After defeating Kevin Anderson in a final-set tie-break to reach his maiden ATP World Tour Masters 1000 semi-final at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Coric was handed the challenge of trying to end Federer's personal record-tying 16-match unbeaten streak to start the season. (Federer began 2018 in top form, claiming his 20th Grand Slam title at the Australian Open before returning to No. 1 in the ATP Rankings after winning the ABN Amro World Tennis Tournament in February.)

Coric made a dream start against Federer in the Californian desert, snatching a late break in the opening set before earning an immediate second-set advantage after firing a forehand winner. With Pete Sampras and Rod Laver in attendance, it appeared as though the young Croatian might be able to earn a surprise win over the World No. 1 on one of the grandest stages in the sport. But, as Coric neared the finish line, nerves settled into the 21-year-old's game.

Federer struck just four unforced errors in the last four games of the second set as Coric's serve began to fall short and the Swiss took full advantage. Coric once again led by a break in the decider, but Federer clawed his way back into contention before eventually breaking to love to claim a 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 victory and set a personal record 17-0 start to an ATP World Tour season.

“I should have lost [the] match," said Federer. "I was down twice a break in the third, I was down a break in the second. So no doubt about it, this was definitely the toughest match [of the year so far]."

After registering back-to-back three-set victories over Taylor Fritz and Kevin Anderson, Coric rose 13 spots to No. 36 in the ATP Rankings following his run to the semi-finals in Indian Wells.

“It was very enjoyable, but at the same time it was tough. It doesn't feel great to lose this match, but I know that's tennis. I need to look at it from the positive side, definitely, just the whole tournament, and this match as well.”


Three months later, Federer arrived in Halle in search of his 10th Gerry Weber Open trophy. After capturing his first MercedesCup title in Stuttgart the week before, the nine-time champion advanced to his 12th final in Halle riding a 20-match grass-court winning streak. Across the net was Coric, who, prior to his arrival at the ATP World Tour 500 event, owned just two wins in nine tour-level matches on grass.

But, despite his inexperience on the surface, Coric had defeated Alexander Zverev for the loss of just five games en route to the final. Federer needed to lift the trophy in Halle to remain at No. 1 in the ATP Rankings, but it was Coric who ended the week with the trophy in his arms after a 7-6(6), 3-6, 6-2 victory.

Saving two set points at 4/6 in the first set-tie-break, Coric took a one-set lead over the World No. 1 in dramatic fashion. Despite conceding the second set after dropping serve at 3-4, Coric reeled off four straight games from 2-2 in the decider to charge towards the biggest title of his career.

"It is the most unbelievable feeling, [to beat Federer]," said Coric. "I looked up to him when I was younger, watching his matches back at home with my mum, my dad and my sister. Just playing him here today was a very special moment and beating him just makes it even bigger for me."


The result lifted Coric to a career-high No. 21 in the ATP Rankings and the Croatian continued to improve that position throughout the remainder of the season. In the final instalment of their 2018 trilogy, Coric and Federer clashed in the semi-finals of another ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event; the Rolex Shanghai Masters.

After tough three-set wins over Daniil Medvedev and Roberto Bautista Agut in his opening two matches, Federer arrived in the last four with great confidence following a convincing straight-sets win over an in-form Kei Nishikori. Coric had also been made to work hard for a position in his second Masters 1000 semi-final, navigating his way past Stan Wawrinka and Juan Martin del Potro to set a third meeting of the season against the Swiss.

With confidence from his previous two meetings in 2018 against Federer, Coric produced one of the best wins of his career, beating Federer 6-4, 6-4 in a dominant serving display to reach the biggest final of his career.

"It's absolutely there. If not the best [win], then it's in the Top 2, Top 3," said Coric. "It's really something special."

The Croatian landed nine aces, dropped just six points behind his first serve and did not face a break point to overcome the defending champion in 74 minutes. Tying his FedEx ATP Head2Head record against Federer for the first time, at 2-2, the Halle champion also guaranteed himself a new career-high of No. 13 in the ATP Rankings heading into his final encounter against Novak Djokovic.

"It's one of the best matches I have ever played. I was just feeling through the ball," said Coric. "I think I served the best in my life, for sure. I was going for the angles. I was going for the body. Everything was going in."


Ending the year at No. 12 in the ATP Rankings, it would appear that Coric and Federer may be forced to continue their trend of only meeting at the back end of tournaments in 2019. As one of the emerging talents on the ATP World Tour, will Coric be able to continue his rapid rise next year and continue his winning streak against Federer? Or will the 99-time tour-level champion find a way to reverse his recent fortunes against the 22-year-old and regain control of their FedEx ATP Head2Head series? If 2018 is anything to go by, it won't be an easy task for either man.

Coric vs. Federer: 2018 Meetings

Event Surface Round
Winner
Score
BNP Paribas Open Hard SF Federer 5-7, 6-4, 6-4
Gerry Weber Open Grass F Coric 7-6(6), 3-6, 6-2
Rolex Shanghai Masters Hard SF Coric 6-4, 6-4

https://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/be ... erer-coric

[Damian]

Coric working his way into contention

Spoiler:

Few young players have made a more of a splash than Borna Coric.



In just his 14th match on the main tour, in Basel late 2014, the 17-year-old Croat stunned Rafael Nadal. A couple of months later in Dubai, he toppled Andy Murray.



A teenage, Croatian version of Novak Djokovic, with close-cropped hair, bruising baseline game and hard-nosed competitiveness, Coric seemed destined to join his idol at the top.



But for the next three years, he plateaued. His 2015-17 seasons finished with near identical, narrow losing records: 26-28, 22-24 and 24-26. “I was not going where I wanted to,” Coric recalls. Top-50 finishes didn’t cut it for the young man who has “There is nothing worse in life than being ordinary” tattooed on his playing arm.



“I stopped working on some aspects of my tennis,” he admitted with admirable honesty. “I had that big breakthrough when I was very young and I think I was not mature enough. My game was not on that level yet. And then all the people expected that it’s going to keep going and it’s going to happen.”



Knee surgery in late 2016 was a brake on his progress, as was an ever-changing coaching line-up, although Coric insisted: “I cannot blame anyone else for my bad results.” A settled coaching arrangement with Riccardo Piatti and Kristijan Schneider and a gruelling, six-week pre-season saw everything change in 2018.

I LIKE TO PRACTISE. I LIKE ALL THE HARD WORK. FOR ME, IT’S NOT A PROBLEM
Borna Coric
Noticeably fitter and stronger at 188cm and 85kg, Coric won his second ATP title in Halle over none other than nine-times-champion Roger Federer. “Coming into the match, I didn’t see any chance how I’m going to win, especially on grass,” he later revealed. He topped the Swiss again in Shanghai - “I served the best in my life” - to finish 2-1 in their 2018 meetings. In their first clash of the season, the semis at Indian Wells, Coric had led the world No.1 by a set and a break.



Shanghai was his first Masters final, a quality 6-3 6-4 loss to then-No.3 Djokovic. “I thought I was playing actually really well,” Coric said, which the highlight reel confirms. The other main takeaway from Shanghai was the increasing difficulty in telling them apart. But if Coric is yet to take a set from Djokovic in three meetings, the apprentice is getting closer to the master. “Absolutely I did prove to myself that I can beat the best players again.”



Coric had his best Grand Slam finish in the US Open fourth round. He ended the year celebrating with teammates around the Davis Cup trophy, having led Croatia into the final with a five-set win in the fifth rubber over the US. The just-turned 22-year-old ended the season with a 40-20 win-loss record and a career-peak ranking of 12.

5711571673001
15 Jan 18
Borna Coric lets his frustration get the better of him during his first-round loss to John Millman on Day 1.
Frustrations boils over for Borna Coric
Video 15 Jan 18

Coric’s undaunted Davis Cup play was always an indicator of his ability to perform under pressure. He made his debut aged 16 and took six games from Andy Murray. Months later, ranked 295, he took down No.21 Jerzy Janowicz in Poland. In 2018, Canadians Denis Shapovalov and Vasek Pospisil took one set from him. In the semifinal at Zadar, Coric won both singles, coming from 1-2 sets down in the decider against Frances Tiafoe to sweep 12 of the next 16 games. In the final he defeated Jeremy Chardy in straight sets.



Born in Zagreb, based in Dubai, Coric is a boxing fan, which is all too apparent in his gladiatorial style. He relishes the one-on-one fight and searching tests of character. “I like to suffer,” as he put it in Shanghai.



The cocky intensity that makes him a fan-magnet has been there from the outset. Coric tells of his formative first trip outside Croatia, to a junior tournament in Rome - “I remember almost every detail.” The young tyro spent two weeks preparing for his international debut and expected to win - “I thought it’s basically normal that I win the tournament.” When he lost the final to Gianluigi Quinzi (who went on to become world No.1 junior), Coric worked off his anger at himself with 100 push-ups and sit-ups. He was eight years old.



“When I was younger, I was a little bit weird,” he tells the ATP of his maniacal focus for the game. “I wouldn’t do anything else. If you want to do something, you need to sacrifice something for that.”



Likeable and relaxed off the court, Coric is no less intense between the lines. “I like to practise. I like all the hard work. For me, it’s not a problem,” he says, while admitting to the occasional sleep-in. “Yes, I am a very hard worker.”



As he eyes a first win at Melbourne Park on his fifth trip, that tough work ethic will serve Coric well. But no less than his thirst for the big time. “I love the big stage,” he says. “I love all the buzz.”

https://ausopen.com/articles/news/coric ... contention