Jankovic, a former world number one, was given little chance of proving a major threat to the two-time champion heading into the contest, as Kvitova had been in stunning from in her opening two matches of the tournament by beating both of her opponents in straight sets.

It appeared that Jankovic, now ranked 30th in the world, would also fall victim to Kvitova's power as the the Czech claimed the opening set 6-3 before breaking Jankovic early in the second set to take full control of the tie.

The break appeared to stir Jankovic into action, though, as she began to produce some fine attacking tennis to put pressure on the defending champion and was able to break her opponent on two occasions to win the second set 7-5 as she began to turn the match around.

Kvitova managed to regroup as the match entered the deciding set but Jankovic, runner-up at the US Open in 2008, was able to complete a stunning fightback, repeatedly holding serve under pressure before claiming the decisive break in the tenth game to earn a 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 win over the second seed.

Germany's Sabine Lisicki, a Wimbledon finalist in 2013, also bowed out of the tournament after being comfortably beaten by Switzerland's Timea Bacsinszky 6-3, 6-2.

Another German, the number 10 seed Angelique Kerber, was also knocked of the tournament as she beaten 6-7, 6-1, 6-2 by Spain's Garbiñe Muguruza.

Big serving Croatian Ivo Karlović was at the centre of a controversial moment in the men's draw as the ball appeared to strike his racket twice when his opponent France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga had a set point, yet Karlovic claimed the point, the set and the match to progress 7-6, 4-6, 7-6, 7-6.

Karlović's victory saw him become the oldest man to reach the last 16 of Wimbledon since 1976.

The 36-year-old is now set to face home favourite Andy Murray, after the British number one overcame an injury scare to complete a 6-2, 6-2, 1-6, 6-1 win over Andreas Seppi of Italy.

Murray is the only British player left in the tournament heading into its second week as James Ward's run came to an end at the hands of Vasek Pospisil in a five-set thriller, the Canadian prevailing 6-4, 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 8-6.

America's John Isner,  famed for winning the longest match in tennis history at Wimbledon in 2010, was forced into another long tie but this time found himself on the wrong end of the result as he was beaten by Croatia's Marin Clilic 7-6, 6-7, 6-4, 6-7, 12-10.

Seven-time winner Roger Federer had less trouble in advancing to the fourth round, although he did drop a set to Australia's Sam Groth, as the Swiss star progressed 6-4, 6-4, 6-7, 6-2.

Play is set to resume on Monday (July 6), as the traditional one day break on the first Sunday of the tournament is due to take place tomorrow.

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