Father Time catching up with the Great Serb

THERE'S SOMETHING INHERENTLY sad about watching a sporting legend struggle in front of the whole world as their playing days wind down.

- Tushar Bhaduri

Simple shots that would have once been made almost without thinking become tough tasks, and the body doesn't follow instructions, maybe due to fitness issues or just general wear and tear. Doubt creeps into the mindset, where once was just unshakeable belief in one's own ability.

Most of those watching on Wimbledon's Centre Court would have had similar feelings as they saw World No. 1 Jannik Sinner routinely dismantle 24-time Major winner and seven-time champion at the All England Club, Novak Djokovic in straight sets.

The match lasted five minutes short of two hours, but if it had been a boxing contest, the referee would have stopped the bout much earlier on account of it being a mismatch. The Sinner-Djokovic semifinal was the marquee clash of the day and was the second match scheduled on Centre Court, but as it turned out, the first semifinal, between defending champion Carlos Alcaraz and Taylor Fritz, was much more competitive and lasted almost an hour longer.

When the Serb threatened a mini-comeback by breaking serve in the early part of the third set, the crowd was vociferous in its support, but they—as well as the player himself—would have known deep down that it was a false dawn.

When he was in his prime, Djokovic made no secret of his feeling that he didn't get the crowd support and adulation that he deserved, and most of the love was reserved for his two greatest rivals, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Hence, it was more than a bit ironic that the cheering was the loudest when arguably the greatest men's tennis player of all time was nowhere near his best. As they say, one often doesn't appreciate something unless it's gone.