First the good news; Alex de Minaur won't have to cross swords with Novak Djokovic in the Davis Cup final.
Now, for the bad; Australia's No.1 will, instead, almost certainly, be up against a skinny phenomenon who's had a stranglehold over him ever since they were battling for the title of tennis's youthful NextGen prince four years ago.
Italy's Jannik Sinner won that final in Turin in 2019 and he's been beating up on de Minaur ever since, winning all of their five matches and losing just one set, while making his blistering progress to his current world No.4 ranking.
The even worse news: 22-year-old Sinner may be scaling new peaks in Malaga, seemingly energised by the Davis Cup team format as he defeated Djokovic in both singles and doubles in one afternoon/evening as Italy beat Serbia 2-1 to book their final date with Australia.
But though Sunday's (Monday AEDT) expected second rubber between the finalists' number ones looks a perfect match-up for the Italians, Sinner was happy to play eve-of-final mind games after his historic four-hour-plus double against the Serbian world No.1, capped by saving three match points in his singles triumph.
"Well, we don't know who's going to play. Yeah, we have to decide," said Sinner, rather unconvincingly.
"We have to ... you know ... I have a lot of hours in my legs. This, I know.
"And if I play against him (de Minaur), it's gonna be different. You know, finals, it's always different. But let's see."
He turned to his Italian team captain Filippo Volandri, gesturing: "It's his decision."
It left Volandri smiling, knowing that, of course, Sinner will be his main man, just as Australian captain Lleyton Hewitt has no choice but to plump for the inspirational de Minaur as his spearhead.
"Obviously, it's our point of power," said Volandri. "Jannik gives us a lot of energy, a lot of confidence in ourselves obviously. He's a great player, but he's not only a great player; he's a great person. That's what I like."
Sinner is playing with de Minaur's speed but a power that's capable of ripping right through the Australian's scurrying defences. He looks like Demon-de luxe.
So, if Hewitt's side are to lift the Cup for the first time in 20 years, they may well have to find their two wins from elsewhere, with the Italians potentially facing a worry over who will go in to bat first for them on Sunday to try to stop Australia winning a second men's team world championship in a week.
With Alexei Popyrin (world No.40), fresh from his breakthrough semi-final win, favourite to launch the Aussies' bid, it's not clear who he would play, with Italy's second-highest ranked player Lorenzo Musetti (No.27) complaining after his defeat to Miomir Kecmanovic about a leg injury which clearly hampered him.
But if the final does come down to the doubles, with 2022 Wimbledon champions Matt Ebden and Max Purcell potentially Australia's deadliest weapons, it could still be the devastating Sinner who poses the biggest threat there too.
For as Djokovic shrugged, after forehands ripped past him in the doubles at a rate even he could hardly have ever witnessed before: "Just have to say well done when someone plays like that. He barely missed a ball the entire match."
