Federer shocked after fast upset in Cincinnati

MASON, Ohio — For Roger Federer, it was one big blur. The seventime champion was ousted from one of his favorite tournaments in barely over an hour, falling in straight sets to a 21-year-old qualifier he’d never faced.

Andre Rublev — with only one career win over a top-five player to his credit — took advantages of Federer’s numerous mistakes for a 6-3, 6-4 victory Thursday that further depleted the top of the men’s bracket in the Western & Southern Open.

“The biggest and the most emotional win,” Rublev called it.

And shockingly fast, too: Federer’s quickest defeat on the tour since 2003.

“To be honest, it’s tough when it’s fast like this to tell you, well, I could have done this or that,” he said.

Federer has won the tournament more than anyone, using it as a springboard to the U.S. Open. He had 16 unforced errors against the 70th-ranked Rublev, who raised both fists and wiped a teary eye in celebration after Federer’s forehand sailed long to end it. Roger Federer fell to qualifier Andrey Rublev 6-3, 6-4 during Thursday’s quarterfinal at the Western & Southern Open.

Struggling with his serve, Federer got broken twice in the first set.

“And there you have it. It set the tone for the match a little bit,” Federer said. “He was super clean — offense, defense, serving well. He didn’t give me anything.”

The men’s bracket has become a qualifier’s dream.

Qualifier Yoshihito Nishioka followed his upset of sixth-seeded Kei Nishikori by beating Alex De Minaur 7-5-64. It’s the first time in 10 years that two qualifiers have reached the quarterfinals of an ATP Masters 1000 event.

The day began with the ATP fining Nick Kyrgios $113,000 for expletive-filled outbursts

that included smashing rackets, insulting a chair umpire and refusing to get ready to return serve during a second-round match the previous night.

In the women’s bracket, top-seeded Ashleigh Barty reached the quarterfinals, joined by a resurgent Venus Williams.

Barty beat Anett Kontaveit 4-6, 7-5, 7-5.

With the crowd cheering for her, Williams recovered from a rough first set and beat Donna Vekic 2-6, 6-4, 6-3.

Second-seeded Naomi Osaka and No. 3 Karolina Pliskova also advanced, and Madison Keys got a 6-1, 3-6, 7-5 win over No. 4 Simona Halep.