By ADAM ZAGORIA
Roger Federer will return to the world No. 1 ranking on Monday by virtue of his 6-7(2), 6-2, 7-6(5) victory over Nick Kyrgios in the semifinals in Stuttgart.
Federer, who will meet Canadian Milos Raonic in Sunday’s final, leapfrogs his rival Rafael Nadal, who had been No. 1 and who just won his 11th French Open title and 17th Grand Slam crown.
“I’m happy I got it and got back to world No. 1 next Monday so it’s very exciting, and I got another final so it’s great news,” Federer, the 20-time Grand Slam champ and soon-to-be-37-year-old, said on court.
After losing the first set in a tough breaker, Federer broke Kyrgios twice in the second to even the match at one-set all.
He then gained a mini-break in the third-set tiebreak but gave it back, finally winning the match on a backhand half volley up the line.
“It was a tough match I expected against Nick,” Federer said. “We’ve played so many breakers already, I lost count. It was close. Look, it could’ve gone either way.”
Federer is 10-3 against Raonic.