Maria Sharapova, saddled with history and a ball-toss that rebelled, suffered for an hour and 19 minutes in the glare and heat of Centre Court before watching Serena Williams ease past her for the 17th time in a row and into the final of the 2015 Wimbledon.
Whatever the pretty words they spout – and they do, on cue – there is always spice when they meet, just not a lot of equality.
Every time Williams looks across the net and sees Sharapova staring back she surely thinks to herself: “You’re the queen off the court.