KING ROGER DEPOSED.

For the first time since he won Wimbledon in 2003, Roger Federer holds none of the Grand Slam crowns.

This very simple statement hides the fact that we have just witnessed the final eclipse of one of the greatest, possibly even THE greatest, tennis player ever. Previously, I wrote that while my heart was with Federer, my head told me otherwise and it gives me no pleasure to be proven right. Today, Federer almost held his own in the first set, though he rather crumbled in the tie break; in the second set, he was a break behind very quickly but then stormed back to lead 5-2 and be serving for the set at 5-3. That he was unable to convert this position to his advantage and eventually capitulated to Novak Djokovic in the third set says more about his waning powers than it does about the play of his opponent.

Roger Federer of 3 or 4 years ago would never have let his opponent dominate the first set tie-break, or let him off the hook in the second set as happened today. Roger was then the most dominant and intimidating player of modern times, even more so than Rafael Nadal has since become. Roger Federer was King of the Court, and everyone knew it. The King is dead and the Pretender wounded - who will replace them ?