It was the final of two bathroom breaks: the first, taken by Jasmine Paolini, set light to what had been a one-sided encounter. The second, taken by Barbora Krejcikova, settled the Czech’s nerves and steered her to the title.

It was, more or less, that simple.

For Paolini, the smiling surprise of this summer’s Grand Slams, the 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 defeat was obviously disappointing but it was certainly not the end.

Her boundless energy, fleet-footed running and fighting spirit had won over every crowd on every court she had played on in the past 13 days. But it was her smile that lit up the All England Club, even on the drizzliest of days. Here was a woman happy in her work and happy to show it.

Paolini smiling her way into history

And as she accepted the runner’s up salver, she managed another smile, albeit a slightly rueful one.

“Today I'm a little bit sad,” she told Annabel Croft and the Centre Court faithful. “I try to keep smiling because I have to remember that today is still a good day. I did a final of Wimbledon.

“I was looking at the TV as a kid, looking at the finals, cheering for Federer I have to say. But to be here right now, it's crazy. It's crazy and I think I enjoyed every moment here. It's been a beautiful two weeks.”

A couple of hours later, she was still determined to look on the bright side. This is the perfect platform from which to kick on again. But, at the same time, she was determined not to get ahead of herself. It was a lot to process when you have just lost your second Grand Slam final in the space of two months.

“I have still to realise that I did [the] final in Wimbledon,” she said. “It's an amazing thing. It's been an incredible year. I'm enjoying. I hope to continue like that with this level of tennis. I'm going to try to work to keep this focus, this level.

“Sometimes I'm a little bit scared to dream too much. I have to say that. I don't know. I'm going back, trying to practise, to stay in the present, as I said many times.

“This is the goal for me, my team, to try to keep this level as much as possible.”

As for that bathroom break – a legitimate pause in proceedings at the end of a set – she used it to reset and refocus. She had been playing within herself for 35 minutes and Krejcikova had taken charge.

“I said, OK, take some time and try to relax and to come back in the second set stronger,” she said. “I felt like, OK, the first set was bad, but I have to be calm and to find [a] solution. I have to be positive and try to [put] my emotions a little bit on the side. I have to focus on what I have to do.”

Taking her own advice, she set to work and ran through the second set as Krejcikova looked utterly stunned. But then the Czech took her bathroom break and came back calmer, more relaxed and serving like a sniper.

“I think she served better than me, of course,” she said. “I also think she can move the ball very good, very well. She can take really great angles with the shots. She's a very complete player. She's so good.”

But by reaching the finals at Roland-Garros and here, combined with her fourth round finish at the Australian Open and winning the WTA 1000 trophy in Dubai, Paolini is beginning to get the hang of focusing on the moment and shutting out the emotional chatter going on in her psyche.

Late bloomer Paolini's patience rewarded

Paolini: I'm writing my own story

“I think, in the last couple of months, but also in the last year, I'm doing this better,” she said.

What has also helped is her improved fitness. Not the tallest of players at 5ft 4in (1.63m), she does not have a huge weapon to worry her opponents so she has had to find other means of attack. Her speed and stamina go some considerable way to making up for her lack of height.

Then, of course, there is the confidence that comes with winning matches. That makes all the difference in the world.

“I believe more in myself,” she said. “I improve serve. I think I improve the return.
Also, I think physically I'm better than two years ago. I'm working since one year and a half with a new fitness coach [Andrea Bracaglia].

“If I keep this level, I think I can have the chance to do great things. I don't know what to dream right now.

“Today I was dreaming to hold the trophy, but [it] didn't [go] well. I'm just enjoying the position where I am right now, five in the world. It's unbelievable, honestly. I just did two finals in two Grand Slams.”

And then she smiled. She was a disappointed runner-up but she would be back. She had plenty to smile about.