Maria Sharapova ended defending Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki's reign with a stirring 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, triumph to reach the fourth round for the 11th time.
The spirited battle didn't dampen animosity between the pair.
More: Sharapova Defeats Defending Champion Wozniacki
Asked to assess the state of her relationship with 31-year-old Russian, Wozniacki said it's unchanged jabbing at Sharapova's silent treatment of rivals.
"I mean, I think our terms are the same as they have always been," Wozniacki told the media in Melbourne. "I think she doesn't really talk to anybody and just, you know, has her team and has her own thing. And that's that.
"I do my own thing. I have my friends, and that's that. I just, we are just playing, we are on tour. We are competitors. We both try our hardest when we're out there on court and fight our hardest."
Former world No. 1 Wozniacki was one of several players objecting to tournaments awarding wild cards to Sharapova following her 15-month doping ban.
That criticism prompted Sharapova's agent, Max Eisenbud, to brand Wozniacki and Agnieszka Radwanska as "journeyman players." Wozniacki later called the agent's attempt to apologize "useless" because he did not try to speak to he face-to-face about the matter.
Asked if she took any added satisfaction from defeating the Dane after her critical comments, Sharapova suggested victory is the ultimate answer.
"I just really like winning," Sharapova told the media. "I'm just really happy and proud of the way I competed today and I'm into the fourth round. So that's all that matters."
Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve