Roger hits the rocks in Miami

ROGER FEDERER’S dominance of 2018 is at an end after he was humbled at the Miami Open by world No 175 Thanasi Kokkinakis.

Federer was ousted from the second round 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 by a player whose career has been stunted by injuries but who has always been rated an unusual talent.

Having won his first 17 matches of the season the Swiss has now lost two in a row, and with it he has ceded the world No 1 spot to Rafael Nadal, even though the Spaniard is not here. Afterwards Federer confirmed he will not play the forthcoming clay-court season, as last year, and said he was unbothered by losing No 1. ‘I deserve losing it after today, it was so bad,’ he said.

Everything looked to be going fine for Federer (pictured) in the first set, but Kokkinakis proved unrelenting in the second, finding lots of deep hitting that pushed the Swiss further than he would like behind the baseline.

Federer, beaten by Juan Martin del Potro in the Indian Wells final last Sunday, kept it tight in the third-set tiebreak before a late surge from the 21-year-old Australian.

Meanwhile, Kyle Edmund remains winless since his semi-final exploits at the Australian Open after missing the chance to regain some important momentum in Miami.

The new British No 1 had opportunities to win but was found wanting at the key moments against world No 63 Frances Tiafoe and went down 7-6, 4-6, 7-6 after serving for the match.