Roger Federer made a shock exit from the U.S. Open on Monday after the five-time champion was beaten by unseeded Australian John Millman in the round of 16.

Millman advanced to a quarter-final match-up against sixth seed Novak Djokovic. He trounced Federer  3-6 7-5 7-6(7) 7-6(3).

Millman, ranked 55th in the world, was dominated by Federer in the first set but turned the tables on the Swiss to take the second then held his nerve through two tiebreaks to secure the win in three hours and 34 minutes.

The Australian said he froze in the first set but was able to take control by relying on his fighting qualities.

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“Felt like a deer in the headlights to begin with, to be honest,” he said courtside.

“I’ve got to control the controllable and the one thing I can control is the fight in me. I’ve always brought the fight up.”

Second seed Federer, who had not dropped a set in his first three matches in New York, had 77 unforced errors and 10 double faults and landed just 49 per cent of his first serves.

Millman said the victory had yet to sink in.

“I’m probably in a little bit of disbelief. I have so much respect for Roger and everything he’s done for the game,” he added. “He’s a hero of mine. Today he was not at his best but I’ll take it.”

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Earlier, there was also an upset in the women’s game. Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro celebrated her 30th birthday in style at the U.S. Open by beating Russian Maria Sharapova 6-4 6-3 to book her place in the quarter-finals.

Sharapova, the 2006 champion, had never lost a night session match in New York prior to her first Grand Slam meeting with Suarez Navarro.

“Thank you so much guys,” Suarez Navarro said courtside after being wished happy birthday by the crowd. “It’s the first time I’ve played this year at night.

“I’m very happy because I played a good match.”

Five-time Grand Slam champion Sharapova paid the price for 38 unforced errors and won less than half of her first serve points while committing eight double faults.

“I didn’t take care of the chances that I had,” the Russian told reporters.

“By chances, I mean the balls that were a little bit shorter.

Suarez will meet last year’s runner-up Madison Keys in the quarters and knows she will be the underdog against the 14th seeded American.

“It will be a really tough match. She is from the United States so the crowd will probably help her,” Suarez Navarro added. 

(Reuters/NAN)