Defending champion Naomi Osaka crashed out of the Australian Open after suffering a shock 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(10-5) defeat to rising American star Amanda Anisimova in the third round on Friday.
Widely regarded as the best female player on hard courts, Osaka made her comeback from a lengthy hiatus early this month and looked in fine form as she wasted little time in beating her first and second round opponents at Melbourne Park.
But in the Round of 16, she came up against Anisimova, a prodigious talent who reached the semis of the French Open in 2019 - and a player who had not lost a match in 2022.
While the 4-time Grand Slam champion made the first move, winning the first set 6-4, it was the 20-year-old from the United States who had the last laugh as she saved two match points at 4-5 in the final set before sealing Osaka's fate in the tiebreaker.
Anisimova will now confront both top-seed Ash Barty and the crowd as she will look to end the home favourite's quest to become the first Australian woman to win the Grand Slam of the Asia Pacific in 44 years.
Christine O'Neil was the last Australian female to claim the title in 1978.