Angelique Kerber had no difficulty in taking positives from her run to the last four at the Australian Open, despite passing up two match points against Simona Halep.
The former world number one fell to a 6-3 4-6 9-7 semi-final defeat against the woman now occupying that spot in the rankings, failing to seize upon a golden opportunity to reach the final of the tournament she won in 2016.
But, having endured a poor season last year, Kerber was delighted to rediscover something close to her best form in Melbourne.
"I think I learned a lot," said the 30-year-old. "I know that I'm back and I know that I can play again good tennis in front of amazing crowds and playing tough matches, winning matches where I'm down and fighting until the last point.
"For me, the most important thing is that I'm again on court and I'm fighting. I have my heart there. I really enjoy every single moment.
"You cannot play every day the same. You have to play your best in every single day. I think that I did it every single day here when I was here in Australia."
It was the first singles loss Kerber has suffered in 2018, the German having ended her title drought with victory at the Sydney International – her first honour since claiming the 2016 US Open crown.
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