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World No. 26 Borna Coric said the 2018 Halle tournament edition was "the most special tournament" of his career as it was perfect for him to play and beat his idol Roger Federer for the title. In the 2018 Halle final, Coric stunned Federer 7-6 (6) 3-6 6-2 to win his first and lone grass title.
Federer was a true icon and legend in Halle, having won the tournament a record 10 times. Coric, who grew up watching and idolizing Federer, was one of the rare players that managed to beat the Swiss in a Halle final. "I was watching him on tv and hoping I could play against him one day, that was my big goal.
He was one of the main reasons why I played tennis and beating him in Halle in 2018 was the most special tournament of my whole career. Just getting to the final and playing Roger was already enough, but I played really, really good tennis and it was just something amazing for me," Coric told the ATP Tennis Radio Podcast.
Coric beat Federer twice
Coric clashed Federer six times while the Swiss was active. Their first meeting came in 2015 Dubai, when Federer claimed a straight-set win. In 2017, Coric pushed Federer really hard at the Indian Wells Masters but the Swiss escaped with a three-set win.
Their next meeting came in the 2018 Halle final, when Coric earned his first victory over Federer. A few months after beating Federer in Halle, Coric also beat the Swiss to reach his first Masters final in Shanghai. Then, Federer won their last two meetings as he beat Coric twice in 2019, in Dubai and Rome.
Coric maybe finished with a negative head-to-head versus former 20-time Grand Slam champion Federer but he beat the Swiss twice on the big occasion. Coric has three titles in his collection and one of those three titles came after beating Federer in a final.