Cincinnati (US): Rafael Nadal crashed out of the Western & Southern Open after losing the match 7-6 (9), 4-6, 6-3 against Borna Coric of Croatia here on Thursday. Nadal’s defeat ends his bid for a return to the top spot in the ATP Rankings this week. The World No. 3 will have another chance to leapfrog Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev at the US Open.
The Croatian edged Nadal to advance to the third round in Cincinnati, battling for two hours, and 51 minutes to secure his biggest win of the season by both opponent and stage. Borna Coric picked up his fifth tour-level win since his March return from shoulder surgery on Wednesday at the Western & Southern Open. But with this one, the former World No. 12 announced that he is back at his best. After taking a dramatic first-set tie-break in which both players saved two set points, Coric scored his first break of the match midway through the decider as he dictated play in the final set. “It has been very, very special,” Coric said of his win on center court. “I was out for the last two years and I didn’t play on the big stage in front of the crowd and everybody. I was honestly just looking forward to playing this match as I haven’t had that in the last two years.
