Kimberly Birrell has been brought down to earth after her giant-killing exploits at Roland Garros, initially bamboozled and eventually outlasted by unorthodox Ukrainian Oleksandra Oliynykova to crash out in the second round of the French Open.
Two days after knocking out fifth seed Jessica Pegula for the win of her life, the Gold Coast fighter initially found the all-court variety of the crafty Oliynykova a rather different challenge.
After looking a little bewildered in the opening stanza, it looked as if she'd solved the puzzle by whitewashing the increasingly weary-looking Ukrainian in the second.
But in the decider, Oliynykova, who at times appeared to have been wilting in the 30 degree heat, somehow found fresh reserves and in a thrilling 10-point tiebreak decider, her rhythm-breaking game proved too much for Birrell as she prevailed 6-3 0-6 7-6 (10-5).
