mobanmarketCincinnati: Roger Federer crashed to a third-round defeat in a first-time meeting with Andrey Rublev, who posted a 6-3, 6-4 upset on Thursday at the ATP Cincinnati Masters.
###
The seven-time Cincinnati champion, who turned 38 last week, was unable to make an impression as he played only his second match since losing the Wimbledon final to Novak Djokovic.
###
Rublev, a 21-year-old Russian qualifier who missed months last season with injury, was shell-shocked at his win over the 20-time Grand Slam champion.
###
###
“It’s an amazing feeling when you play such a legend as Roger,” he said. “At least 99 percent of the crowd was supporting him.
###
“Today I was just trying to do my best. I told myself I need to play every point to the end. No matter what the situation, I kept fighting.”
###
Federer went down to the world number 70 in barely an hour, losing for only the 10th time here after winning 47 matches.
###
The Swiss will now head into the US Open later this month with just two matches on hard courts under his belt.
###
Rublev earned his second top-five win in a month after beating Dominic Thiem in Hamburg on his way to the final.
###
Frenchman Richard Gasquet ousted Diego Schwartzman 7-6 (8/6), 6-3 while Japanese qualifier Yoshihito Nishioka reached his second quarter-final of the season by defeating Australia’s Alex de Minaur 7-5, 6-4.
###
The 77th-ranked Nishioka, who shocked compatriot Kei Nishikori on Wednesday, will next face either France’s Adrian Mannarino or Belgian 16th seed David Goffin for a place in the semi-finals.
###
Nishioka, 23, advanced in 82 minutes, never facing a break point while twice breaking the Australian’s serve.
###
Women’s top seed Ashleigh Barty held off Anett Kontaveit as the Estonian served for victory before the top seed scraped a 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 triumph into the WTA event quarter-finals.
###
The win keeps the Australian in the chase for a possible return to the WTA number one ranking, which she lost to Naomi Osaka on the eve of this US Open build-up event.
###
Barty needs to reach Sunday’s final in order to regain the ranking summit.
###
“It was a little bit scrappy at times today but proud of the way we were able to fight and hang in there right until the end,” said the reigning Roland Garros champion.
###
“Ultimately that was the most important part about today was to try to hang in there as best that I can, fight right until the end and try and make a match of it.
Click Here: liverpool mens jersey###
“Towards the end, I started to find a little bit more rhythm but certainly struggled early on. It was more about the fight today than the tennis.”
###
Victory came a day after Barty defeated five-time Grand Slam winner Maria Sharapova in the second round.
###
Barty will play Friday against Maria Sakkari of Greece, a 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, 6-4 winner over ninth seed Aryna Sabalenka.
###