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By Richard Pagliaro | Saturday, October 13, 2018

 
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Borna Coric broke to open both sets sweeping Shanghai champion Roger Federer, 6-4, 6-4, to storm in his first Masters final.

Photo credit: Rolex Shanghai Masters

Late in the second set, Roger Federer streamed forward, picked a forehand volley off his shoelaces and bounced on his toes in eager anticipation of the smash.

Borna Coric calmly looped a rainbow lob over Federer's head that cleanly kissed the baseline.

More: Djokovic Powers Past Zverev For 17th Straight Win

That sequence summed up this Shanghai semifinal.

Even when Federer delivered dazzle, a cool Coric played over his head with a definitive answer.

Serving with accuracy and striking with ambition, Coric crushed Federer 6-4, 6-4, to roar into his first career Masters 1000 final at the Rolex Shanghai Masters.



The 21-year-old Croatian broke to open both sets, served 78 percent, smacked nine aces, did not face a break point and deconstructed the defending champion from the baseline in an immaculate 73-minute master class.

Since dropping his opening set of the tournament to Stan Wawrinka, Coric has reeled off nine straight sets.

The 13th seed played commanding tennis from first ball to last today. Coric snapped Federer's eight-match Shanghai winning streak—months after ending the Swiss' 20-match grass-court winning streak in Halle—surging into tomorrow's final against second seed and sometime practice partner Novak Djokovic.

The reigning Wimbledon and US Open champion annihilated Alexander Zverev, 6-2, 6-1, in a 59-minute thrashing that ensured Djokovic will supplant Federer for the world No. 2 ranking when the new ATP rankings are released on Monday.

It was Djokovic's 17th straight win as he raised his record to 26-1 since the start of Wimbledon.

After a painfully sluggish start to the season that included elbow surgery in February, Djokovic said his resurgence is gratifying.  

"Being No. 2 after this tournament is a great achievement, considering the first four, five months of the year and considering I had the surgery," Djokovic told the media in Shanghai. "And where I was about four months ago and where I am today is quite an extreme opposite. I'm just cherishing that achievement and every moment spent on the court."



Continuing his quest for a fourth Shanghai championship, Djokovic now stands one win from his 32nd Masters crown, which would put him one behind all-time Masters leader Rafael Nadal.

This was Coric's second straight win over the 20-time Grand Slam champion coming four months after the Croatian shocked Federer, 7-6 (6), 3-6, 6-2, in the Halle final in June.

This result was equally surprising, not because Coric won, but because he basically beat Federer at his own game to do it.

Coric set the tone from the flip as he won the opening coin toss, elected to receive, raced out to a triple break point lead and broke for 1-0 when Federer sailed a forehand.

In three prior meetings, Federer had success playing the Croatian's forehand wing which can get spinny and land short in the court under pressure.

Not today.

Playing with taping wrapping his right thigh, Coric moved fluidly and spread the court beautifully with his forehand and ripped razor-sharp backhands stressing the Swiss. Coric did not miss a first serve in building a 3-1 lead.

In the eighth game, Federer showed his defensive skills grinding through a 25-shot rally for 15-30, but netted an open-court drive volley as Coric stood firm for 5-3.

The Halle champion hammered his first serve sealing the 35-minute opener with a strong love hold. Coric served 78 percent in the first set and immediately applied pressure to start the second.

Fresh off his best tennis of the tournament when he won six straight points to subdue Kei Nishikori yesterday, Federer was often beaten to the punch today.

Showing the serve-and-volley to mix it up, Federer saved a break point. Coric blocked back a forehand return and Federer shanked a wild forehand as the Croat broke for a 1-0 second-set lead.

An energized Coric did not grow complacent continuing to drive the ball deep and delve near the lines.

Down a set-and-a-break as he was in the Indian Wells semifinals before storming back, Federer saved a break point squeezing through a tight hold for 2-3 when Coric narrowly missed a forehand.

Sliding successive aces wide—his fifth and sixth of the match—Coric stamped a love hold for 4-2 after one hour of play.

In the seventh game, Federer fired an ace down the middle saving another break point.


Tennis Express


Serving for his first Masters final, Coric was down 15-30 when he bolted a serve winner out wide then slashed an ace down the middle for match point.



Spinning a slick forehand pass crosscourt, Coric closed an impressive victory to raise his record to 36-17 on the season.

Coric cruised into his fifth career final where he'll face another iconic champion. Djokovic, who once said the Croatian "reminds me of me", has won all four sets the pair have played, including a 7-6 (2), 7-5, victory in Monte-Carlo last spring. The Shanghai final is their first hard-court meeting. 


 

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