Tennis matches towards the end of grand slams often come down to a few key points or pivotal moments, and for Roger Federer so it was in the second set tie-break in his shock 6-3, 7-6 (7-4), 6-0 loss to 14th-seeded Pole Hubert Hurkacz.
Federer, one of the greatest instinctive movers of all time, is usually effortless but at 2-3 in the second set tie-break his cat-like footwork failed him at the worst possible time.
The Swiss great had a put-away volley coming to him before he slipped as fans on Centre Court shrieked, before he whiffed the ball, barely making contact with what seemed a sure point to make it 3-3.
Instead it was 2-4, and from there Hurkacz romped ahead to take the tie-break 7-4 and a two sets to love lead from which he would not look back.
It would have been a Herculean effort for the 39-year-old to surge back from two sets to love down and as John McEnroe said on commentary the last time Federer had achieved that was five years ago at this stage of The Championships, against Marin Cilic.
This time it was not the case as Hurkacz romped through the final set to take it 6-0, hitting winner after winner as Federer was left completely unable to deal with what was thrown at him.
The 6-0 set the first time the Swiss great had ever been ‘bagelled’ at The Championships and if it were his last time here it would be an ignominious end for the eight time champion.
More to come.