A day or two off to wind down and put the feet up in the immediate aftermath of a 19th Australian Open campaign may seem a reasonable reset for Serena Williams.
Not so to Serena Williams.
Defeat to a 29th-ranked player, whom she had dropped only a game to in their previous meeting, stings given the comeback she had mounted at Rod Laver Arena on Friday.
This was a third-round assignment against China’s Qiang Wang, the first player since Daniela Hantuchova to inflict a loss on the American so early at Melbourne Park.
Williams had fought back when an opponent stood on the brink of victory before on this court.
But this time would be different.
Despite denying Wang as she attempted to serve out a straight-sets result, Williams was unable to carry the momentum through the third set.
“She served well. I didn't return like Serena,” she said.
“If we were just honest with ourselves, it's all on my shoulders. I lost that match. So it is what it is … it’s not about the tournament, it's just like I can't play like that. Like, I literally can't do that again. That's unprofessional. It's not cool.”
Time is against Williams if she is to achieve the last remaining milestone driving her – tieing Margaret Court’s record of 24 singles majors.
She turns 39 this year and at least 12 majors will now pass without her name etched on the trophy.
In her eight slams since returning from the birth of her daughter, Olympia, this is her equal earliest exit.
“I'm definitely going to be training tomorrow,” Williams said.
“That's first and foremost, to make sure I don't do this again.”
The possibility that Williams will return to Melbourne Park for a 20th Australian Open campaign now almost certainly hinges on whether she levels Court’s record in the meantime.
“I definitely do believe or I wouldn't be on tour,” Williams said of Court’s mark.
“I don't play just to have fun. To lose is really not fun, to play to lose, personally.
“I seem to do well the last two slams of the year. I don't know. I have won them all several times. Each one is definitely an opportunity for me to go out there and win.”
A hoodoo had been lifted when Williams won her first title – in Auckland – since returning to the tour two years ago but after her earliest departure in 14 years, her quest must now shift to the red clay of Roland Garros.
It is the site of three of her majors, but by far her least successful of the four slams.
Make no mistake, that competitive fire still burns, so too this defeat – just as deeply as it ever did.
“I am just a better actress, as I always say now,” Williams said.
“I'm no happier than I was 10 years ago. But I just have to pretend like I don't want to punch the wall, but in reality I do.”