Belgian sixth seed David Goffin has been bounced out of the Brisbane International.
Frenchman Lucas Pouille upset the Belgian Davis Cup hero 7-6 (7-5) 4-6 6-3 in a second round clash lasting more than two hours on Thursday.
World No.22 Pouille booked a quarter-final berth against the winner of Thursday’s clash between Canadian fourth seed Milos Raonic and Croatian qualifier Ivan Dodig.
Goffin, 25, had hoped to at least make the Brisbane quarter-finals for the first time after a breakthrough year.
He completed his 2015 campaign as world No.16 – the highest year-end ranking ever by a Belgian male.
He also led Belgium to their first Davis Cup final appearance since 1904.
Meanwhile, defending champion Roger Federer opens his campaign against German qualifier Tobias Kamke on Thursday night.
Organisers are confident the 17-time grand slam winner will take the court despite speculation about a forearm complaint.
In the other men’s second round clash on Thursday, former Brisbane finalist Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria takes on Serbia’s Viktor Troicki.