And the two-time winner was surprisingly beaten 6-3 7-6 by the world number 85 in the fading light, the third round clash ending at 9:05pm.

It was the fourth seed’s worst performance at the All England Club since her debut in 1998, when she also went out in the third round and it prevented her from facing elder sister Venus in the last 16 on Monday.

The 23-year-old world number one looked like forcing the match into a deciding set when she twice fought back from a break down in the second set to force a tie-break.

Williams then took a 2-0 lead but lost the next five points in a row as Craybas, beaten in qualifying at Eastbourne last week, refused to buckle under the pressure.

Two points on her serve saw Williams reduce the deficit to 5-4 but her 30-year-old opponent coolly served out to complete the biggest win of her career.

Earlier in the day, Venus Williams had been looking forward to the 15th meeting with her sister after advancing to the fourth round.

Williams defeated Slovakian Daniela Hantuchova 7-5 6-3 on court one to remain on course for a repeat of the 2002 and 2003 finals.

“It was a good day for sure,” Williams said after her hard-fought victory. “The first set was definitely close.

“In the second set I maybe lost focus a little bit and missed a few shots but I was able to regain it which is the important part.

“I played good but I definitely feel like I can pick it up. I’m always looking to step up another level.”

Number 12 seed Mary Pierce is likely to be waiting in the quarter-finals, the veteran French woman using all her experience to ease into the fourth round with a straight sets victory over Ana Ivanovic.

Pierce, fresh from reaching the final of the French Open earlier this month, cruised to a 6-1 6-4 victory over one of the game’s rising stars and will take on Italy’s Flavia Pennetta in the last 16.

Pennetta recorded a 6-4 6-3 victory over Greece’s Eleni Daniilidou, the conqueror of French Open champion Justine Henin-Hardenne in the opening round.

At 30-years-old, Pierce is 13 years older than her opponent and turned professional just two years after Ivanovic was born.

But she feels her experience is paying off against the ever-increasing number of teenage prodigies on the women’s tour.

“I feel I can see things on the court in a different way than I had in the past,” said Pierce, who lost to Justine Henin-Hardenne in a one-sided final at Roland Garros.

“When I play against girls that are either half my age of five or 10 years younger than me and don’t have as much experience, I can see things on court.

“It doesn’t mean you’re going to beat everybody, but it definitely helps.”

Pierce’s best performance at Wimbledon was almost a decade ago when she reached the quarter-finals in 1996, but the veteran French woman has made a smooth transition from the clay of Paris.

“I’m feeling more at ease with each match and I’m happy with my victory today,” she added.

“Last year I lost in the first round so I’m definitely doing a lot better. I feel like I’m improving with every match I’m playing on grass and I hope that continues.

“I feel like I’m on a really good path right now. I’m at a decent level physically and play-wise but definitely have room for improvement.”

Also in the bottom half of the draw, former champion Conchita Martinez was beaten in straight sets by Czech Kveta Peschke.

Peschke, 29, continued her comeback from two bouts of knee surgery with a 6-4 6-1 victory over the 1994 champion. She will face eighth seed Nadia Petrova in the next round after Petrova defeated Zimbabwe’s Cara Black 6-4 6-3.