Japan’s world number 14 Kei Nishikori dumped defending champion Roger Federer out of the Madrid Masters at the third round stage on Thursday as he beat the 17-time Grand Slam champion 6-4, 1-6, 6-3.
Federer, who returned to the tour in the Spanish capital after a two-month layoff, was broken in the fifth game of the first set as Nishikori went onto seal it comfortably 6-4.
The Swiss seemed to have found his rhythm in the second as a double break saw him take the set 6-1, but Nishikori dominated the third set as he broke to go 2-1 in front and then again in the final game to move into the quarter-finals.
Nishikori will face Spain’s Pablo Andujar for a place in the semi-finals.
Japan's Nishikori knocks Federer out of Madrid Masters
