It didn’t take long for the light-hearted gibes to start flowing again after Paula Badosa’s first Grand Slam semifinal ended in defeat to good friend Aryna Sabalenka at Melbourne Park.
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Soon after the world No.1 finished her on-court interview celebrating her progression to a third straight Australian Open final on Thursday, footage showed Sabalenka and the Spaniard sharing a laugh beneath Rod Laver Arena.
It was a moment few but the closest of tour companions would entertain so soon after such a defeat with so much at stake.
“[I told her] that it was really unfair for me that she played this level today,” Badosa grinned. “I was expecting, of course, a good level, but maybe not that much.
READ: Sabalenka sweeps past Badosa into third straight AO final
“But no, she came to say that she played three semifinals before she won a title. She was very proud of my improvement lately, especially with all I've been through.
“So we were just joking around. I'm really happy that... look, if I have to lose against somebody, of course I want to lose against world No.1 and against Aryna, and I wish her the best.”
At 27 years old and in her first Grand Slam semifinal, it started so promisingly for the 11th seed, who was coming off her maiden top-10 win at a major over Coco Gauff in the quarterfinals.
If there were nerves in her first night match at this arena, they did not show early as she stood toe-to-toe with the two-time champion from the back of the court and held points for 3-0.
Despite Badosa’s best efforts, it merely stirred the hornet’s nest as Sabalenka soon turned the screw and surged home.
“I was playing good. I mean, the first set was really tight, a good level. Then in the second set she started to be very, very aggressive,” she said.
“Everything was working. Everything she was doing today, touching today, could become gold … I mean, of course credits to her, congratulations to her. She played the best match not even of the week, from the last months, for sure. If she plays like this, I mean, we can already give her the trophy.”
While disappointed at the 6-4 6-2 result, Badosa could hardly believe how far she had come.
Only nine months ago, she was on the brink of quitting the sport for good, frustrated at her slower than expected return following almost two years of setbacks from a serious back injury and stuck outside the top 100.
She packs her bags for Tullamarine Airport guaranteed a top-10 return on Monday for the first time since October 2022.
“It's really, really positive. I mean, I wasn't expecting maybe improving or going so fast,” she said. “I didn't check, but seeing the results of everyone, now I know I'm top 10, but I think the last months maybe it's top five of the players that have won most matches.
“So, for me that's insane, and it's an insane improvement, an insane improvement mentally, of believing, of coming back from that.
“I was once top 10, but doing it two times I think not a lot of people are capable of that. I'm really proud of myself because it's not easy when you're 100 in the world and you have to face these kind of players, but in the first round. Coming back from that, I'm really, really proud of the journey.”
Sabalenka promised in her on-court interview to take her good friend shopping and foot the bill to shore up the friendship in the face of dishing out defeat.
It came as music to Badosa’s ears.
“Something really expensive then,” she grinned. “It's going to be something really expensive because now I think she doubled the prize money, so I think she won't have a problem for that. I will think about it.”