Best of his best friend: Badosa has no answer for Sabalenka

It was a moment, but the closest tour mates would entertain so soon after such a defeat with so much at stake.

“(I told her) it was really unfair for me that she was playing this level today,” smiled Badosa. “Of course I expected a good level, but maybe not that much.

READ: Sabalenka sweeps past Badosa for third straight AO final

“But no, she got to say she played three semi-finals before she won a title. She was very proud of my improvement lately, especially with everything I’ve been through.

“So we were just kidding. I’m really happy to … look, if I’m going to lose to somebody, obviously I want to lose to the world No. 1 and to Aryna, and I wish her the best.”

At 27 and in his first Grand Slam semi-final, it started so promisingly for the 11th seed, who was coming off his first top-10 win at a major over Coco Gauff in the quarter-finals.

If there were nerves in her first night match in this arena, they didn’t show early as she went toe-to-toe with the two-time champion at the back of the court and held points for 3-0.

Despite Badosa’s best efforts, it just touched the hornet’s nest as Sabalenka soon turned the screw and tumbled home.

“I played well. I mean, the first set was really tight, a good level. Then in the second set she started being very, very aggressive,” she said.

“Everything worked. Everything she did today, touched today could turn to gold… I mean, of course, credit to her, congratulations to her. She played the best game not even this week, from the last months , for sure. If she plays like this, I think we can give her the trophy already.”