The upsets continued at the Australian Open on Saturday as second seed Karolina Pliskova joined Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka in exiting the tournament in the third round.
Pliskova had won all six of her previous meetings with Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova but it was the Russian who came out on top of a very tight two-setter, winning 7-6 (4) 7-6 (3) after two hours and 25 minutes.
Pliskova had two set points at 6-5 in the second set but Pavlyuchenkova saved both and progressed to the fourth round in Melbourne for the third time in four years.
Now 28, Pavlyuchenkova is still trying to live up to the stellar predictions made of her as a junior after she won the girls' singles title here in 2006 at the age of 14.
Pavlyuchenkova has never been beyond the quarter-finals at a slam. She will next face Angelique Kerber after the 17th seed defeated Camila Giorgi 6-2 6-7 (4) 6-3.
Kerber, who won the first of her three slam titles here in 2016, is the only former champion left in the women's draw.
Fourth seed Simona Halep, the beaten finalist two years ago, was impressive in a 6-1 6-4 victory over Yulia Putintseva but another top-10 player was sent packing, sixth seed Belinda Bencic winning just one game in a 6-0 6-1 defeat by Anett Kontaveit.
Iga Swiatek joined Coco Gauff as teenagers through to the fourth round, the 18-year-old Pole beating 19th seed Donna Vekic 7-5 6-3.
