By Richard Pagliaro | Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Soaring through the second set on a five-game spree, an attacking Roger Federer looked ready for launch in his Shanghai return.

Spanish qualifier Albert Ramos-Viñolas crunched twisting lefty forehand strikes to displace the defending champion and bounce Federer right out of the field.

More: Nadal on Motivation to Play My Way

Ramos-Viñolas broke serve for the only time in the eighth game of the decider then calmly served out a 7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-3 upset of the second-seeded Swiss to reach the Shanghai Rolex Masters third round for the first time.

Despite serving 71 percent, hitting 15 aces and facing only two break points, Federer suffered his first opening-round exit since losing to 35th-ranked Nick Kyrgios in Madrid last May.

Winless in 15 prior meetings against Top 10 opponents, Ramos-Viñolas managed a meager 2-35 mark in sets won against the game's elite. He played bold combinations when it mattered most to earn his first Top 10 victory in style.

Showing no signs of scar tissue from the 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 thrashing he absorbed from Federer in their lone prior meeting at the 2012 Wimbledon, Ramos-Viñolas came out with a simple game plan reminiscent of another Spanish left-hander, Rafael Nadal.

Curling his forehand crosscourt into Federer's backhand, Ramos-Viñolas repeatedly challenged Federer to create offense from his one-hander. When Federer began leaning to his backhand side in the final stages, Ramos-Viñolas switched it up and lashed some flatter forehand strikes down the line on critical points.

Commanding on serve at the start, Federer served 74 percent, smacked six aces and won 23 of 26 first-serve points in the opener, but failed to convert on his two break point chances. His inability to crack the lefty's serve proved costly in the tie break.

The 70th-ranked Spaniard won two matches in qualifying and withstood 20 aces from Sam Querrey in fending off the American, 4-6, 6-4, 7-5, in the opening round.

The combination of Ramos-Viñolas comfort level with the court speed and Federer easing his way back into action in his first tournament match since falling to Novak Djokovic in the US Open final created a stiff tie break test. Federer struggled to shake off the rust on the backhand in the breaker.

Exploiting three straight backhand errors, Ramos-Viñolas took a 5-2 lead in the tie break. He skidded a serve off the service line for set point. When Federer sailed a forehand, Ramos-Viñolas collected a one-set lead.

With Hall of Famer Rod Laver looking over his shoulder from the front row, Federer pressed his attack forward. He won 25 of 32 net points and began asserting his net game more frequently in the second set.

Ramos-Viñolas shanked a forehand and howled in frustration facing the first break point of the second set. Playing exclusively to the Federer backhand, the Spaniard drew a stab backhand into net to save it. Attacking net, Federer forced another forehand shank. Ripping a forehand into the corner, Federer streaked in and slid a short slice to set up a smash.

The first break of the match gave the reigning champion a 3-2 lead.



Timing the ball effectively, Federer did not drop a point on serve through his first three service games of the set. He threw down a 90-second held to extend to 4-2.

Though he spent much of the set surging forward, Federer showed his defensive skills to create another break. A sliding forehand dig extended the point and drew the error. Federer broke again for 5-2.

On set point, Federer made a dashing retrieval racing all the way back to the baseline to run down a shot before charging forward again. Ramos-Viñolas had a clear look at a lob, but over shot the mark as Federer ran off the final five games to seize the second set.

The world No. 3 had the momentum, but his opponent snatched it back.

Trailing 0-30 in the eighth game of the decider, Federer moved in quickly for a low forehand and flicked a winner down the line. Ramos-Viñolas spun a forehand return and Federer pasted his backhand reply into the net to face double break point. He erased the first with an ace, but was caught leaning toward his backhand corner on the second. Ramos-Viñolas froze Federer and swept a forehand winner down the line, breaking for the first time for 5-3.

Serving for the match, he left a forehand hanging at mid court and Federer swept a backhand winner down line for 15-30. Two points later, Federer flattened a forehand into the tape. His 30th error gave the world No. 70 match point.

The backhand let Federer done on the final point. When his backhand return sailed beyond the baseline, Ramos-Viñolas thrust his arms in the air and broke into a wide smile. He will face 16th-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who swept Victor Estrella Burgos in 56 minutes, for a quarterfinal spot.