Daria Gavrilova is refusing to blame a record-setting midnight start for her spectacular Australian Open fade-out.
Gavrilova's 7-5 6-3 second-round loss to classy Belgian Elise Mertens, which began at 11.59pm on Wednesday night, was the latest-starting match in Open history.
The 23-year-old home hope, usually a ball of energy, appeared to have fallen asleep after blowing a 5-0 lead and eight set points en route to a shattering exit.
But after training at night in anticipation of being scheduled to play under the bright lights after dazzling runs to the last 16 in 2016 and 2017, the Melbourne local had no complaints about starting the match when most Australians were fast asleep.
"I was ready to go," Gavrilova said.
"It is frustrating, but that's how it is.
"It was a bit weird, but I've had this experience before.
"Obviously a few people left. That was a bit different atmosphere. Still, I felt the support from the crowd."
The match started one minute later than Grigor Dimitrov's third-round . win over Richard Gasquet last year.
Ironically, Dimitrov and Gasquet were left waiting for Gavrilova to finish off Swiss Timea Bacsinszky last year.
On Wednesday night, it was Gavrilova waiting on Dimitrov, who was pushed to five sets by gallant American qualifier Mackenzie McDonald.
"I had food, treatment, tape. I was just waiting around," Gavrilova said.
Despite the hold-up, Gavrilova made a flying start.
But it all went wrong after the 23rd seed was unable to convert any of her eight set points.
The Australian wasn't aware of how many set points she had blown until the post-match press conference.
"That sucks," she said.
"I can't believe it got away from me but it just happened and it happened quickly.
"I've seen players lose before from 5-0 up and thought, surely they could have just hit a winner but clearly I couldn't so it's a new experience."
The 23-year-old served 10 double faults for the match, while her unforced errors went through the roof with a total of 40.
Gavrilova was rocked in the second set when, trailing 4-2, she tried to challenge an incorrect ruling but umpire Aurelie Tourte said she was too late and had looked to her box first.
"I raised my hand straight away," Gavrilova said, with Toute replying: "No, you were waiting."
Commentators described it as a "horrendous call".
Post-match Gavrilova said she had raised her hand within seconds, while admitting her coach Jarryd Maher did signal.
"She said my coach told me to but he did go like that (pointed upwards with her finger) but that could have meant anything."
Mertens will play Frenchwoman Alize Cornet on Friday with a golden opportunity to progress further, with world No.4 Elina Svitolina the last seed remaining in the top quarter of the draw.
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