Madison Keys' dream of completing a famous double is over as the Australian Open victor became the 18th women's seed and latest grand slam champion to be dumped out of this shock-laden Wimbledon.
But Aryna Salabenka, the No.1 seed, remains on pole in her quest for a maiden triumph in the grass-court slam after winning an enthralling Friday night Centre Court duel with home heroine Emma Raducanu.
The sixth-seeded American Keys was sent crashing on Independence Day 6-3 6-3 by tough German veteran Laura Siegmund as she became the fifth of the top-six seeds, and sixth out of the top 10, to be sent spinning out of the event on Friday.
Keys had been out to become the first player since Amelie Mauresmo, in 2006, to pull off the AO-Wimbledon double but world No.104 Siegemund, playing some of her best tennis at 37, was in inspired mood in the sunshine on No.2 Court.
She outplayed the big-hitting American even when getting nervous with the winning line in sight and held her nerve. "If you don't have nerves, then you're probably dead!" she joked with the crowd afterwards.
"I only play for myself, I don't feel like I need to prove anything any more - my boyfriend tells me that," beamed Siegemund, now the oldest player left in the women's draw.
"It's important to remember the core of why you are doing this. I'm playing for me and I don't feel pressure this way."
She'll next play Solana Sierra, who became the first woman 'lucky loser' to reach the fourth round at Wimbledon, beating Spain's Cristina Bucsa 7-5 1-6 6-1.
How must this have made Australian Talia Gibson feel? She had knocked out Sierra in the final match of qualifying, only to get knocked out in the first round herself.
Meanwhile, her Argentine victim Sierra got a reprieve and was brought into the draw as a 'lucky loser'. She's since won three matches, knocking out another Australian Olivia Gadecki in the opening round and Alex de Minaur's British fiancee Katie Boulter in the second.
Later under the roof on Centre, Raducanu, who's struggled to follow up her amazing US Open triumph as a qualifier in 2021, reminded everyone of that special ability before eventually succumbing 7-6 (8-6) 6-4 to Sabalenka after two dramatic hours in the most eagerly anticipated match of the tournament to date.
The first set alone took 74 minutes, with Raducanu saving seven set points and creating one of her own, while she led 4-1 in the second before Sabalenka recovered to set up a fourth-round clash with Elise Mertens.
"She played such incredible tennis and she pushed me really hard to get this win," said Sabalenka, who'll play Belgium's Elise Mertens in the last-16. "I had to fight for every point like crazy."
Earlier, four-time major winner Naomi Osaka's hope of finally getting to the last-16 of a slam that's she's never mastered fell short as she surrendered a one-set lead to go down 3-6 6-4 6-4 to former French Open finalist Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
Pavlyuchenkova, a Wimbledon quarter-finalist nine years ago, will next take on soaring Briton Sonay Kartal, who had the home crowd cheering on No.1 Court as she defeated French qualifier Diane Parry 6-4 6-2 to make the last-16 of a grand slam for the first time in her career.
American 13th seed Amanda Anisimova avoided the cull of seeds, as she beat Hungary's Dalma Galfi 6-3 5-7 6-3 to set up a fourth-round contest with Czech 30th seed Linda Noskova, who defeated Russian Kamilla Rakhimova 7-6 (8-6) 7-5.