It was British No.1 Johanna Konta who summed up the sapping demands of a day of double shifts at Eastbourne.
"I'm sure everyone is playing on adrenaline," Konta said between her impressive wins against French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko and world No.1 Angelique Kerber.
A long day at the office finally finished in dramatic fashion when Konta slipped on match point against Kerber and bumped her head on the ground. After a long break she climbed to her feet and completed the 6-3, 6-4 victory.
Konta has a special relationship with Devonshire Park, which is just down the road from home, but a formidable duo still stood between her and a place in the semi-final.
First Ostapenko. The Latvian pulled out of the Aegon Classic in Birmingham last week because of injury and her right thigh was heavily strapped - although it did not look like her power game was too hampered.
Konta broke her rival's serve to take the first set 7-5 but Ostapenko levelled 6-3. A break up in the decider, Konta served for the match at 5-4, converting her third match point when Ostapenko sent a forehand return wide.
The Briton's prize was a tilt at German Kerber and she made the perfect start by winning the first set 6-3 in 37 minutes. The second set was a tale of breaks with Konta questioning the surface as centre court was bathed in evening sunlight.
At 5-4 Kerber, serving to stay in the match, netted a weak forehand to present the first match point but was rescued as her rival slipped. Then Konta sent an easy forehand long at the second match point before her tumble at the third.
She burst into tears and Kerber sportingly came to see if she could help. After a long wait for medical clearance, Konta rose to her feet and produced a backhand winner to earn match point No.4, which was converted.
Konta meets No.3 seed Karolina Pliskova, who overcame Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-7(7) 6-2, 6-4.
She said: "I hit my head so I've got a sore head. It's been a busy day and I've played a lot of tennis and I'm sure I will have a battle against Pliskova."
As the sun finally shone on the Aegon International, it was a case of digging dip. Caroline Wozniacki played five sets of tennis as she dismissed Elena Vesnina 6-1, 6-2 and then came back from a set and 3-0 down to beat world No.2 Simona Halep 5-7, 6-4, 6-1.
Halep, losing finalist at Roland Garros, had the chance of making world No.1 this week but looked a picture of limping misery as Wozniacki swept into the semi-final.
The beaming Dane, who has had her struggles with an ankle injury, insisted: "I'm feeling pretty good. I'm OK. I will get some food and a massage and prepare for tomorrow."
Halep said: "It was a tough match. I think I played really well but in the third set I was a little bit tired. It's normal. I played many sets today."
Wozniacki, winner of the Aegon International in 2009, meets Heather Watson in the last four. Briton Watson has been the surprise of the tournament beating Lesia Tsurenko, No.4 seed Dominika Cibulkova and Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova on the way to the quarter-finals.
She started like a steam train against Strycova, winning the first set 6-1 before losing the second by the same scoreline and seemed powerless to stop the rot but took the decider 6-4.
Watson said: "It was tough mentally but I'm a toughie. I'm very pleased to get through these matches. I didn't want to stop because I didn't think we should and I'm very happy with the way I played."
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