Novak Djokovic is, statistically at least, the best tennis player of all time.
That's something that just can't be argued. He has won more Grand Slams than any other player, with seven of his 24 triumphs coming on the glittering green grass of Wimbledon. Only Roger Federer, who has four majors less to his name in total, has won more.
But even the very best can't beat the clock. For years, Djokovic has delivered with unnerving consistency - erasing and rewriting record after record. He has risen from being, by his own admission, the 'odd one out' to stand head and shoulders above them all.
Yet now, at the age of 38, it's hard to see the tennis legend winning another Grand Slam.
Novak Djokovic was powerless to prevent his Wimbledon exit
REUTERS
Yes, he had injury issues at Wimbledon. After a fall during his victory over Cameron Norrie, Djokovic decided to skip a practice session in order to enhance his chances of beating Jannik Sinner on Friday.
Ultimately, that decision failed to pay off with the Serb a shadow of his usual self. Sinner, who will now face Carlos Alcaraz in Sunday's final at Centre Court, was dominant as he raced to a 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 victory.
Djokovic, speaking after the match, played down talk that this would be his last appearance on such a big stage. He said: "Hopefully it’s not my last match on the Centre Court. I'm not planning to finish my Wimbledon career today.
"So I’m planning to come back definitely at least one more time, play on the Centre Court for sure."
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He also insisted he plays his best tennis at the majors. Djokovic continued: "I think, regardless of the fact that I haven’t won a Grand Slam this year, or last year, I still feel like I continue to play my best tennis at Grand Slams.
"Those are the tournaments that I care about at this stage of my career the most."
Yet there's more than a nagging feeling that the days of Djokovic winning Wimbledon, and other prestigious titles at the French Open, Australian Open and US Open, are now a thing of the past.
His body is starting to creak. Years of running himself into the ground is now starting to hamper him. This, in his own words, is something he finds hard to accept.
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Jannik Sinner was outrageously good on Friday as he dismantled Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon
REUTERS
Elaborating further on his crushing defeat to Sinner, he said: “I don’t think it’s bad fortune. It’s just age, the wear and tear of the body.
"As much as I’m taking care of it, the reality hits me right now, last year and a half, like never before, to be honest.
“It’s tough for me to accept that because I feel like when I’m fresh, when I’m fit, I can still play really good tennis. I’ve proven that this year."
The biggest problem for Djokovic is that tennis' next generation are now coming through. Sinner and Alcaraz, for example, are on a different level entirely to the rest right now.
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Sinner was, admittedly, fortunate earlier in the tournament when Grigor Dimitrov was forced to pull out of their match while two sets and a break up.
It was a cruel blow for the Bulgarian but his rival, in the time since, hasn't looked back.
Sinner, it must be stressed, was nothing short of sensational on Friday. The way he dismantled Djokovic was brutal and the 23-year-old fully deserves his place in Sunday's final.
Then there's Alcaraz who, at 22, is now on the verge of a sixth Grand Slam title. If he overcomes Sinner again, having done so at the French Open last month, then more titles are destined to follow.
Novak Djokovic looks unlikely to win any more Grand Slams following his Wimbledon defeat to Jannik Sinner
REUTERS
Djokovic is a powerhouse. A force of nature who deserves credit for everything he's achieved.
There is now a sense, however, that his time at the very top is well and truly over.