'It's a game': Ash Barty's act of pure class after shock Wimbledon loss

Disappointed but hardly devastated, Ashleigh Barty has accepted her surprise fourth-round Wimbledon with signature grace and class.

The world No.1 offered no excuses, only congratulations for unseeded Alison Riske after the free-swinging American crashed Barty's party with a 3-6 6-2 6-3 boilover on Monday.

"Absolutely no regrets," Barty said after falling a set short of becoming the first Australian since Jelena Dokic 19 years ago to reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals.

"We've planned our days and prepared as best that we can. Today wasn't my day.

"I didn't win a tennis match. It's not the end of the world. It's a game.

"I love playing the game. I do everything in my power to try and win every single tennis match, but that's not the case.

"It's disappointing right now. Give me an hour or so, we'll be all good. The sun's still going to come up tomorrow."

Riske by name and risky by nature, the world No.55 bludgeoned 30 winners and committed only 15 unforced errors in recording her tour-best 14th grasscourt victory of the season.

The Court 2 shock also ended Barty's 15-match winning streak and scuppered the 23-year-old's hopes of completing a rare French Open-Wimbledon title double.

‘I’M A BIT MORE’: Rafael Nadal causes stir with 'disrespectful' Ash Barty comments

Barty, though, was philosophical in defeat, reflecting instead on the most magnificent two months of her career.

"Overall it's been a hell of a trip," she said.

"Disappointed right now, obviously it's a tough pill to swallow. In the same breath, it's been an incredible few months.

"New ground for me here at Wimbledon. This is the best we've done.

"Also proud of the fact what we've been able to do over the last eight weeks.

"The consistency we've brought day in and day out, has been next to none. That's one of the best things about this trip.

"I have an incredible team of people around me who love me and support me and are with me through this journey.

"It's easy to go back now and chat to them about it. There are so many things we wish we had done. The what ifs.

"That's not what we try to focus on that. We focus on the positives. The positives of what have been over the last two months, last six months, and for this year, it's been incredible.

"Today wasn't my day, but that's not going to define us as a team, it's not going to define me as a person. That's the most important thing."

World No.1 ranking in tact

A silver lining to Barty's premature exit was the fourth-round loss later on Monday of third seed Karolina Pliskova, which guarantees the Queensland the world No.1 ranking until at least the start of the American hardcourt season.

Barty will return to Brisbane for a well-earned rest before beginning the US swing in Montreal from August 5.

"It's also important to really celebrate what we've been able to achieve over the last eight weeks. It's been an extremely positive time for me and my team," she said.

"Go and rest and recover with the family back home, then switch focus back to the hard courts.

"In the US, which I love that time of year, I love getting back over to the summertime there.

"I have some really good memories from last year. We go back, we knuckle down, train again, then we go again."