Juggernaut Jennifer
As Jennifer Capriati enjoyed a celebratory dinner with her family, her beaten opponent chewed over the most demoralising defeat of her career - one that poses the question of whether Martina Hingis will ever again have the physical and mental power to win a Grand Slam title.
In the immediate aftermath of Hingis's third successive Australian Open final defeat, the Swiss former world number one defiantly sounded an upbeat note. 'I know I have to look positive in the future,' she said after missing four championship points as Capriati triumphed 4-6 7-6 (9-7) 6-2.
'There's next week, next tournament, next Grand Slams,' added the player who missed the last month of 2001 with torn ankle ligaments. 'I exceeded my expectations at this tournament. I think I proved to myself again that I can play really good tennis and I have the chance to beat anybody out there.'
They are perfectly laudable sentiments, but the facts tell an unwelcome story for those who yearn for a return to the days when a player's court craft could overcome physical power in the women's game. Hingis's guile and tactical acumen brought her as close to victory as is possible without actually clinching it.
Both players suffered enormously in the suffocating heat of the Rod Laver Arena, where the on-court temperature touched 46 degrees Celsius. Each needed to sit down between points in the latter stages of the second and third sets, and before the decider they were afforded a 10-minute break during which they were covered in ice in the cool of the locker room.
Ultimately, Capriati groggily emerged the stronger and for the twelfth Grand Slam running the prize went to the power player. Not since Hingis last triumphed at Melbourne Park in 1999 has brain beaten brawn for one of the major women's crowns, and the 21-year-old Swiss has now lost the last five Grand Slam finals she has played.
That's not to say Capriati's game lacks intelligence. It is based on sound tactics and she cleverly changed the pace of her hitting as she thrillingly overcame a 4-0 deficit in the second set. But her greatest attribute is her strength of mind, which is no surprise considering the extraordinary journey her life has taken.
From 14-year-old millionaire to teenage drop-out and back to the very pinnacle of her chosen career has been a roller-coaster ride that has had Hollywood producers salivating in anticipation of a blockbuster life-story movie.
Capriati's one and only concern, though, is tennis and yesterday's success can only embolden the world number one for the coming year. 'I had a lot to deal with out there, I had a lot on my shoulders, just being the defending champion, trying to keep the number-one status and dealing with the conditions,' she said. 'I didn't feel like I was playing my best tennis in the beginning, but I really just fought hard, so it means a lot to me. As long as you just stay in there and try your hardest and try to fight, it can win you matches.'
Her father, Stefano, watched on with glowing pride, while Hingis's mother, Melanie Molitor, looked aghast at her daughter's plight. And it could be argued that the happiest tennis parent wasn't anywhere near Melbourne Park. If he'd bothered to watch the final on television back home in Florida, Richard Williams would surely have been delighted with what he'd seen.
The first Grand Slam final of the year was undoubtedly rich in heat-induced drama and courage, but Williams will have noted how error-prone were both finalists as they fought to cope with the conditions. It would be hard to envisage a fit Venus or Serena Williams struggling in such a fashion.
It's worth noting that only injury scuppered the Williams campaign for this Australian Open. Serena turned her ankle during a warm-up tournament and the double Wimbledon and US Open champion, Venus, suffering tendinitis and hamstring problems before falling to Monica Seles in the quarter-finals.
Hingis's pain came in the final. She admitted that she was suffering so much in the heat the result was of secondary importance. 'I just wanted to have it behind me, no matter what. I didn't care - you should always care, but it was impossible. After that second set in the 10-minute break I was like, "No way, I've got to go out there again." I wished I could have stopped it at that point.'
There is no way Capriati would make such an admission. She wanted it more and that's why she will be the more potent force and greater rival to Venus Williams in 2002. Having given her all in Melbourne to come so close, it's asking an awful lot of Hingis to find the will to be a factor.
· Iain Carter is BBC Radio's tennis correspondent