( CNN ) -- Roger Federer will not feature in a Grand Slam final in the same calendar year for the first time since 2002 , after he was knocked out of the U.S. Open by Spain 's Tommy Robredo . The winner of 17 Grand Slam titles , including five in New York , suffered a straight sets defeat in his fourth round match at Flushing Meadows , losing 7-6 ( 7/3 ) 6-3 6-4 late Monday . The defeat denied the Swiss star , arguably the finest player to have played the game , a quarter-final showdown with long-time nemesis Rafael Nadal , after the in-form Spanish star beat Germany 's Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-7 ( 4-7 ) 6-4 6-3 6-1 . Robredo had never beaten Federer before their latest rain-delayed encounter on the Louis Armstrong Stadium court . But with 43 unforced errors to his name and only two break points converted from 16 , the former world number one looked unlikely to extend that run . `` I 'm going to feel like I beat myself , '' Federer told reporters after the match . `` It was up to me to make the difference and I just could n't . `` I self-destructed , which is really disappointing . When things came to the crunch I just could n't do it . It 's frustrating . '' Robredo , by contrast , was full of confidence as he hit 70 % of his first serves and sent numerous forehand winners whistling past his illustrious opponent . `` I 'm delighted . It 's unbelievable . The difference is I won the break points today , '' said Robredo . With the ignominy of another early exit from a Grand Slam tournament , Federer , whose ranking has slipped to an unfamiliar No . 7 , will face renewed speculation about his future . At 32 , some question whether he can arrest the recent decline in his fortunes -- his last major title was at Wimbledon in 2012 . `` Roger is in a very vulnerable state . He 's in a vulnerable position because he 's moved down to No . 7 now , '' said legendary coach Nick Bollettieri in a recent interview with CNN . `` Remember Pete Sampras went through a tough period . Fortunately for Pete he won a big one before he left the tour . '' But with younger rivals Novak Djokovic , Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray improving all the time , Federer will be acutely aware that his window of opportunity is rapidly closing . He has even experimented with a larger racquet head in a bid to find a solution to his on-court problems . And for Bollettieri , who has coached a number of former Grand Slam champions including Andre Agassi , there 's a real concern that an underwhelming end to his career could undo the Federer legacy . `` It would be a shame if people forgot who he was , '' he said . `` Look at what he brought to the game . He brought class . He lived a beautiful private life . `` He 's quiet . He 's always respectful of the sport . He 's respectful of his opponents . You do n't find too many people who represent life , whether it be business or sports , like this guy . ''
Five-time U.S. Open champion Roger Federer loses 7-6 ( 7/3 ) 6-3 6-4 to Tommy Robredo . This was the 32-year-old 's earliest exit in New York for 10 years . Federer was denied a quarter-final clash with rival , Spain 's Rafael Nadal . TL;DR Andy Murray wins his first match at Flushing Meadows since Wimbledon last year and will face world number one Novak Djokovic on Sunday.