Australia's Jordan Thompson has come so close, but so far to a brilliant five-set comeback before bowing out against Argentina's Nicolas Kicker at the Australian Open.
Kicker advanced 6-3, 6-1, 4-6, 3-6, 6-3 to end the Australian's grand slam run at the first hurdle.
Two sets down and with the Argentine well on top, Thompson scrambled hard to edge the third set, triggering a major momentum shift on Court Eight.
Suddenly, the 23-year-old was in cruise control, easing through the fourth set to set up a deciding fifth.
And it looked like that momentum would continue as he broke Kicker early in the fifth, only for Kicker to break straight back.
It was up to Thompson to engineer yet another break, but instead he lost way with the service, as Kicker took advantage of the Australian's frustrations to canter home.
Kicker will next face Slovakia's Lukas Lacko, who shocked Canadian star Milos Raonic in four sets.
Meanwhile, local wildcard hopeful Ajla Tomljanovic looked up for the contest against heavily-fancied Lucie Safarova, but ultimately fell short inside an hour-and-a-half.
Safarova, the Czech 29th seed, was out-aced six to four by the quick Tomljanovic, but ultimately enjoyed a more accurate first-service game to win 7-5, 6-3.
Another of the Australians awarded wildcards, Lizette Cabrera, lost in straight sets to Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia, 7-6, 6-4.
