FEDERER LOSES TOP RANKING WITH LOSS AT THE MIAMI OPEN
FLA.» Roger Federer lost KEY BISCAYNE, his second consecutive match and the No. 1 ranking Saturday.
Big-serving Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis, a qualifier ranked 175th in the world, rallied to upset Federer 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (4) at the Miami Open.
The 36-year-old Federer had been the oldest No. 1 man ever, but the Swiss star will lose that spot when the next rankings come out April 2.
Rafael Nadal will become the new No. 1 even though he missed Key Biscayne because of a hip injury that also forced him to skip Indian Wells.
“I deserve it after this match,” he said. “That’s how I feel.”
Kokkinakis, facing Federer for the first time, became the lowest-ranked man to beat a No. 1 player since No. 178 Francisco Clavet upset Lleyton Hewitt in 2003. That match also was at Key Biscayne.
The 21-year-old Australian has long been regarded as a promising talent thanks to a thunderous serve and forehand, but he has been plagued by injuries.
Federer now has a losing streak after a career-best 17-0 start to the year. The match was his first since he lost to Juan Martin del Potro in the Indian Wells final last Sunday, a match that also came down to a winner-take-all tiebreaker.
Federer’s defeat left both No. 1 players out of the tournament. Simona Halep was eliminated in the third round by Agnieszka Radwanska 3-6, 6-2, 6-3.
Federer won’t be playing to reclaim the No. 1 spot anytime soon. He said he will skip the upcoming clay season for the second straight year, including the French Open.
Results » 9CC
Truex starts with top pole position.
VA.» Martin Truex Jr.
MARTINSVILLE, will start from the pole in Sunday’s STP 500 after rain canceled Saturday’s qualifying session.
According to the NASCAR rulebook, the current leader in the owner point standings is awarded the pole position when qualifying is canceled. Truex and Denver-based Furniture Row Racing assumed the No. 1 position after their victory at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif.
• Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton set a blistering time in his final lap of qualifying to take the pole position at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix for a record seventh time, outpacing his nearest rival by a sizable 0.664 of a second.
The defending Formula One champion set a time of 1 minute, 21.164 seconds at Albert Park circuit, breaking a tie with Ayrton Senna for most poles at the Australian GP. It’s the 73rd pole of Hamilton’s career.
Sale hit, plans to pitch Thursday. Boston Red Sox ace Chris Sale expects to be ready for opening day after being struck in the left hip by a line drive during Saturday’s game against the Houston Astros.
Sale exited the game in the first inning after Houston’s J.D. Davis drilled a line drive off the all-star left-hander. Sale immediately fell to the ground and appeared to clutch his left knee.
• New York Yankees first baseman Greg Bird was diagnosed with inflammation in his foot and will see a specialist Monday. He was a late scratch from Saturday’s win against the Atlanta Braves.
Footnotes. The Atlanta Falcons added depth at cornerback and a threetime Pro Bowl player on special teams by signing Justin Bethel. … Quintin Hoch-bullen scored five goals and fellow freshman Eliza Radochonski tallied three as the No. 23 DU Pioneers (5-3, 1-1 Big East) beat division rival Uconn 13-5. … Zach Hankins led Ferris State to its first NCAA Division II national title in any sport, scoring 19 points in the Bulldogs’ 71-69 victory over Northern State in the men’s basketball title game. The Bulldogs (38-1) won their final 26 games of the season and set a school record for wins in a season.