A gracious Ashleigh Barty offered no excuses after her incredible grand slam run came to a shuddering halt with a deflating fourth-round Wimbledon exit to American Alison Riske.
Bidding to become the first Australian woman to make the quarter-finals at the All England Club since Jelena Dokic 19 years ago, Barty fell 3-6 6-2 6-3 in a fourth-round nailbiter on Monday.
World No.55 Riske withstood 12 aces from Barty to chalk up her tour-best 14th grasscourt victory of the season.
Ashleigh Barty hits a ball during the ladies singles fourth round. Source: AAP
The Court 2 boilover also ended Barty's 15-match winning streak and scuppered the 23-year-old's hopes of completing a rare French Open-Wimbledon title double.
"Absolutely no regrets," Barty said.
"We've planned our days and prepared as best that we can. Today wasn't my day.
"I didn't win a tennis match. It's not the end of the world. It's a game. I love playing the game. I do everything in my power to try and win every single tennis match. But that's not the case.
"It's disappointing right now. Give me an hour or so, we'll be all good. The sun's still going to come up tomorrow."
Barty would have also lost her newly acquired world No.1 ranking to Karolina Pliskova had the third-seeded Czech reaches the semi-finals this week.
She also lost in the round of 16 to Karolína Muchová in three sets.
"We've done absolutely everything. I'm so proud of myself and my team over the last six to eight weeks. We've had an incredible trip, incredible couple of months.
An upset looked remote when Barty fired down four aces to start the match before taking the opening set in 32 minutes.
Riske was unfazed, calmly working her way into the contest with some fearless hitting from the baseline.
Alison Riske of USA returns to Ashleigh Barty. Source: AAP
Piling the pressure on Barty with sustained attack and measured forays to the net, Riske broke Barty twice to seize the second set to make a fool of her ranking of No.55 in the world.
Staving off a break point in the fourth game of the deciding set, Riske nabbed another crucial break with a massive forehand winner to surge ahead 5-3, before retaining her poise to clinch a shock victory after one hour and 37 minutes.
"It really brings out the best in me," Riske said of her phenomenal run on grass over the past month.
Alison Riske celebrates her win. Source: AAP
"My game is very well suited to it," the 29-year-old said.
"I hit a flat ball and love coming to the net and I feel at home here. I love being at Wimbledon.
"It's just so special."
The American's maiden quarter-final will likely come against 23-times grand slam champion and seven-times Wimbledon winner Serena Williams, who plays Spanish veteran Carla Suarez Navarro later on Monday.
"Bring it on," Riske said.
Barty will return to Brisbane for a well-earned rest before beginning her American hardcourt campaign in Montreal from August 5.
"It's also important to really celebrate what we've been able to achieve over the last eight weeks. It's been an extremely positive time for me and my team," she said.
"Go and rest and recover with the family back home, then switch focus back to the hard courts.
"In the US, which I love that time of year, I love getting back over to the summertime there.
"I have some really good memories from last year. We go back, we knuckle down, train again, then we go again."
"Absolutely no regrets," Barty said.
"We've planned our days and prepared as best that we can. Today wasn't my day.
"I didn't win a tennis match. It's not the end of the world. It's a game. I love playing the game. I do everything in my power to try and win every single tennis match. But that's not the case.
"It's disappointing right now. Give me an hour or so, we'll be all good. The sun's still going to come up tomorrow."
Barty will also lose the world No.1 ranking to Karolina Pliskova if the third-seeded Czech reaches the semi-finals this week.
"It's out of my control," the Queenslander said.
"We've done absolutely everything. I'm so proud of myself and my team over the last six to eight weeks. We've had an incredible trip, incredible couple of months.
"If Karolina plays some good tennis, gets to that, then she'll deserve it. No fighting that."
An upset looked remote when Barty fired down four aces to start the match before taking the opening set in 32 minutes.
