Madison Keys' reign as Australian Open champion is over after the American lost in straight sets to close friend and podcast co-host Jessica Pegula.
In an all-American clash at Rod Laver Arena, Keys was swept aside 6-3, 6-4 in a match that lasted just 78 minutes, with the 30-year-old paying the price for gifting 28 unforced errors.
But Keys insisted she was proud of how she dealt with the pressures of being a returning title-holder and was looking forward to the rest of her season.
“Obviously not the way that I wanted things to end here, but still really proud of myself,” said Keys, who beat Aryna Sabalenka in last year's final to claim her maiden grand slam crown.
“Coming back, being defending champion, dealing with all of the extra pressure and nerves, I'm really proud of myself for how I handled it.
“It was just one of those days where I feel like Jess beat me, and I can walk away with my head held high.
“I have 11 months of the year left, there's still lots to be proud of, and I'm going to go out and work on new things and try to implement them in the next tournament.
“I'm disappointed, but I'm really trying to not live and die on every single win and loss at this point in my career.”
Next up for Pegula in the quarter-finals will be another countrywoman in fourth seed Amanda Anisimova, who beat China's Xinyu Wang 7-6, 6-4.
Pegula, 31, has only made it beyond the last eight in a Grand Slam on one occasion – when she lost the 2024 US Open final to Sabalenka – but is now a four-time quarter-finalist in Melbourne.
“That was something I felt everyone else came up with,” she replied when asked about her record. “If I'm making quarters of a grand slam, that's pretty good.
“So I never really understood the negativity towards it, or I guess the headline of, 'how does she get past the quarters?' I mean, the fact that I'm putting myself in that many positions I feel is a feat in itself.”
With Coco Gauff and Iva Jovic already in the quarter-finals, this will be the first time four American players have made it this far in Melbourne since 2001.
Iga Swiatek ended the dream run of Australian qualifier Maddison Inglis in brutal fashion with the second seed winning 6-0, 6-3 in just 73 minutes.
Inglis, 28, had reached the fourth round after her third-round opponent Naomi Osaka pulled out due to an abdominal injury, but the world No 168 was no match for the six-time Slam winner.
“I felt pretty confident from the beginning,” said Swiatek. “I felt like the pace of the ball was different to the last round, so I needed to adjust my legs and be really precise with my footwork. I'm really proud of my performance.”
The Pole will secure a career Grand Slam if she wins a first Australian Open title and now faces Kazakhstani fifth seed Elena Rybakina, who thrashed Elise Mertens of Belgium 6-1, 6-3.
In the men's draw, Italian defending champion Jannik Sinner – seeking a third consecutive title – blitzed past countryman Luciano Darderi 6-1, 6-3, 7-6 on Margaret Court Arena for what was his 18th win on the spin at the tournament.
“It was very difficult, we are good friends off the court,” said four-time Major winner Sinner, who takes American eighth seed Ben Shelton for a semi-final spot.
“I felt like in the third set, I had a couple of great chances and couldn't use them. I got very tight so I'm very happy I closed it in three sets.”
Lorenzo Musetti, another Italian, is through to the next round – where he will take on Serbian legend Novak Djokovic – after defeating American ninth seed Taylor Fritz 6-2, 7-5, 6-4.
“Honestly, I feel very proud. I know Taylor very well, we've played many matches, many battles. And last time in Turin he was the winner,” Musetti said about the pair's meeting at the ATP Finals last year.
“I came here with a different mentality and I think I made one of my best performances … I'm very happy.”
Djokovic, chasing a record-extending 11th Australian Open title, was given a walkover after Jakub Mensik dropped out of their fourth-round clash due to injury.
