Austria's Dominic Thiem ended Roger Federer's challenge at the Italian Open ©Getty Images

Austria’s Dominic Thiem ended Roger Federer’s Italian Open campaign in the third round by defeating the Swiss star in straight sets today in Rome.

Despite having earned victory over German teenager Alexander Zverev yesterday at the at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event, Federer claimed a back injury, which saw him miss the Madrid Open, may force him to pull out.

The 34-year-old opted to start his tie with the ever-improving Thiem, but the 22-year-old prevailed in the opening set on a tie-break.

Thiem was then able to break for a 3-2 lead in the second and held his serve impressively to claim a 7-6, 6-4 victory over the 17-time Grand Slam champion.

“The next 10, 12 days are really going to be important for me to recover, and then make a plan,” Federer told the ATP website regarding his thoughts on playing at the French Open, with the second Grand Slam of the year due to begin on May 22.

"I'm confident and hopeful at the same time.

“I have only played five matches in the last four months now, so clearly I don't want to get too overly excited about what's ahead, but at the same time I'm a positive thinker and I believe that I'm going to recover.”

After his victory, Thiem will now face Japan’s Kei Nishikori in the quarter-finals, after the sixth seed thrashed France’s Richard Gasquet 6-1, 6-4.

Switzerland's Stan Wawrinka made a shock third round exit
Switzerland's Stan Wawrinka made a shock third round exit ©Getty Images

There was further Swiss disappointment when Stan Wawrinka was surprisingly beaten 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 by Argentina’s Juan Monaco.

Monaco will now face France’s Lucas Pouille, who defeated Spain’s David Ferrer 6-4, 6-1.

Serbia's Novak Djokovic had looked like heading to a shock defeat after losing the opening set 6-0 to Brazil's Thomaz Bellucci, but hit back to claim a 0-6, 6-3, 6-2 win.

World number three Andy Murray, though, cruised into the next round, with the Britain winning his tie with France's Jeremy Chardy 6-0, 6-4.

He will now face Belgium's David Goffin, who thrashed the Czech Republic's Berdych 6-0 6-0.

In the women’s draw, top seed Serena Williams cruised into the quarter-finals by overcoming fellow American Christina McHale 7-6, 6-1.

She will now go in search of revenge for her defeat at the Miami Open when she faces Russia’s Svetlana Kuznetsova, who battled past Australia’s Daria Gavrilova 6-2, 2-6, 6-3.

Third seed Garbiñe Muguruza of Spain is also through to the last eight, having brushed aside Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko 6-1, 6-4.

Muguruza will face Switzerland’s Timea Bacsinszky, following her 5-7, 7-5, 6-2 triumph against Spain’s Carla Suárez Navarro.