A wry smile crossed Iga Swiatek's face as Danielle Collins smacked a forehand return winner to arrive at match point in their Australian Open semifinal on Thursday night.
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Collins would go on to win 6-4 6-1, and less than an hour later, Swiatek arrived in press, still smiling somewhat when discussing a career-best fortnight at Melbourne Park.
This was by far her best result at the year's first Grand Slam event, and the deepest she had gone into a major since breaking through for the title at Roland Garros while still a teenager in 2020.
She was proud of herself, she revealed, while also admitting there was little she could do to counter the onslaught Collins unleashed under lights at Rod Laver Arena.
"Today's result, for sure I'm not happy with it, but I know that Danielle played amazing tennis. If I would have more chances to just play a rally with her, it would be much easier," the world No.9 said.
"I tried to find solutions, but … it's kind of hard to stop an opponent when they are playing like that.
"I wasn't thinking like that on the court, but after, I mean, I'm not even feeling any regrets because I did like the best I could today."
Collins utterly dominated this contest, but not because Swiatek showed up and played poorly in her second major semifinal.
Collins was immediately driving her backhand significantly harder against the Pole – at an average of 119km/h, up from her tournament average of 114km/h – and finished the match with 27 winners to Swiatek's 12.
The American was particularly devastating in the second set, striking 13 winners to just two unforced errors.
As a result, Collins moves through to her first Grand Slam final at age 28, and will debut in the top 10 on Monday.
Swiatek could only tip her hat to the American's performance.
"I was prepared for her playing aggressive game, but I think that was the fastest ball I have ever played against on a match," Swiatek said.
"For sure in practices I have hit maybe the same speed, but on matches it's different because players, they don't want to take that much risk. But it seemed for her that it wasn't even risky because she was playing it with control.
"I'm just curious how it's gonna look like on the final, and I'm gonna for sure be watching and learning (smiling).
"I just feel respect for her game today … she played a perfect match and it happens.
"I also can play a perfect match. It wasn't for sure today (smiling). It happened in past, and I hope it's gonna happen in future."
Swiatek's perfect matches came in succession when she stormed to the Roland Garros title 16 months ago.
She overwhelmed opponents with her fabulous athleticism, power and topspin, and general relentlessness – none of her seven victims were able to take more than four games from her in any of the 14 straight sets she won.
At Australian Open 2022, her progress through the draw was more laborious.
Even her straight-sets win over Daria Kasatkina in round three felt tighter and more intense than the scoreline suggested. Then came her three-set triumph over Sorana Cirstea, which reduced her to tears on court as she clinched a maiden quarterfinal in Melbourne.
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That's where she faced Kaia Kanepi, finally subduing the Grand Slam giant-killer after more than three hours on court – a match that mixed the magical with the messy.
Into the semifinals she went, but that's where Collins refused to allow her any further.
"(I've learned) that I don't have to play perfect tennis to win matches, even on hard court," Swiatek reflected.
"That's my best result on hard court besides winning Adelaide (in 2021). So that's positive, because I always wanted to improve on hard court.
"I like the fact that I won against Sorana and Kaia like mentally and physically, and I gave my heart on court, so that's great."
Projected to return to the world's top five when next week's rankings are released, Swiatek – still just 20 years of age – will leave Melbourne with the whole season ahead of her to continue gathering experience, improving her game and absorbing lessons, like Thursday night's defeat.
Don't be surprised to see her return to Melbourne Park an even bigger factor.