Belgian Davis Cup star David Goffin capitulated in the severe Australian Open heat as former champion Stan Wawrinka's exit further opened the door for Novak Djokovic to claim a record-breaking seventh title at Melbourne Park.
In sweltering 40-degree heat, seventh-seeded Goffin saved two match points before surrendering his second-round clash 1-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-1 7-6 (7-4) to French journeyman Julien Benneteau on Thursday.
Goffin, who steered the European nation past Australia in last year's Davis Cup semi-finals, had more winners, less unforced errors and won six more points than the 26-year-old world No.59.
Alas, two months after Goffin conquered both Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer en route to the season-ending championship final in London, it was Benneteau instead who set up a third-round meeting with fellow veteran Fabio Fognini.
Italy's 25th seed was a 2-6 6-3 6-4 6-1 winner over Russian Evgeny Donskoy.
The winner will play either Argentine 12th seed Juan Martin del Potro or former semi-finalist Tomas Berdych for a quarter-final berth.
Del Potro, in his first Open in four years, remains a title dark horse after seeing off Russian Karen Khachanov 6-4 7-6 (7-4) 6-7 (0-7) 6-4.
Berdych overpowered Spain's Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-3 2-6 6-2 6-3 in a battle of two more old stagers.
Fifth seed Dominic Thiem endured a draining second-round scare, fighting back from two sets down against American qualifier Denis Kudla.
The Austrian was staring down the barrel against the 190th-ranked Kudla, but found another gear in a 6-7 (6-8) 3-6 6-3 6-2 6-3 escape to book a third-round date with Frenchman Adrian Mannarino.
But American 13th seed Sam Querrey is out of the Open after going down 6-4 7-6 (8-6) 4-6 6-2 to Hungary's world No.80 Marton Fucsovics.
Fucsovics will play Argentine Nicholas Kicker, who pushed past Slovak Lukas Lacko 6-2 7-5 1-6 7-5.
In the battle of the whiz-kids, South Korean Hyeon Chung replicated his Next-Gen ATP Finals victory over Daniil Medvedev in November, prevailing 7-6 (7-4) 6-1 6-1 to end the Russian's six-match summer winning streak.
Chung has an even bigger opportunity to make an impact when he confronts German fourth seed Alexander Zverev, a 6-1 6-3 4-6 6-3 winner over countryman Peter Gojowczyk.
US wildcard Tim Smyczek fell 6-4 6-2 7-6 (7-2) to 21st-seeded Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas, who earned a shot at six-time champion Novak Djokovic.
The Serb rallied from a set down in the brutal heat to beat dangerous Frenchman Gael Monfils 4-6 6-3 6-1 6-3.
Monfils' countryman Richard Gasquet ended the run of world No.219 Lorenzo Sonego, the qualifying vanquisher of Bernard Tomic, with a 6-2 6-2 6-3 victory.
Wawrinka, the ninth seed in his first event back after six months nursing a knee injury, lived up to his modest hopes with a second-round 6-2 6-1 6-4 loss to aptly-named American youngster Tennys Sandgren.
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