Maybe, when he has long retired and the story of Andy Murray’s barrier-breaking career is pored over, it will be seen that his rivalry with the great Roger Federer was the challenge which best defined its dizzy highs and crushing lows.
Federer was the master whose head the precocious young Murray first got inside like a weevil, with a brand of athleticism and defensive web-weaving that the Swiss found gnawingly infuriating and wearing.
Then Federer reverted to the role of aristocratic bully who handed Murray three cruel lessons in Grand Slam finals, reducing him to tears - twice - and even instilling a hint of an inferiority complex. “I can cry like Roger, it's just a shame I can't play like him. I'm done. Sorry,” was Murray’s famous quivering lower-lip lament of Melbourne 2010.
Yet, just 28 days after the Swiss had him blubbing again under the roof at the 2012 Wimbledon final, Murray delivered “the biggest win of my life” in the Olympic final, an evisceration of both Federer and any mental demons that proved, he now acknowledges, to be the turning point of his career.
Which allows us to flash forward three summers to Friday's delicious third instalment of their duelling on Centre Court, in the second of the gentlemen’s singles semi-finals. And, goodness, how do you call this one now? Never mind the result, how can we even be sure the Centre Court will cheer for the Briton, so globally beloved is Federer?
Since that Olympic breakthrough, Murray has become a mature, double Grand Slam winner and Federer has glided on gracefully, not quite able to add to his record 17 Slams but still majestic enough to push Novak Djokovic to his limits in last year’s final.
And the latest form lines? Both have reached the last four with a degree of comfort. Actually, in Federer’s case, make that a preposterous perceived level of pipe ’n slippers ease, with his serve having been broken just once (by Gilles Simon) in the entire Championships. Murray has been on court just over 11 hours while the Swiss express has had three extra hours to play with the twins. And the other twins.
Is it significant that Federer, in glorious attacking mode, has beaten Murray the last three times out, including the slaughter at the O2 Arena in the ATP finals? Or that, in Grand Slam meetings, Federer leads Murray 4-1? Well, both men shrug that history matters not a hoot any more. We are talking of one beautifully-poised and potentially beautiful match here.
It is easier to pick the other finalist. Good old Richard Gasquet chips in cheerily: “I'm the worst when you see Federer, Djokovic, Murray and me,” he says with delightful self-effacement, as he ponders Friday's opener against Djokovic and the prospect of being the first French finalist since Cedric Pioline 18 years ago.
True, in the last 20 Grand Slams, stretching back to 2010, at least one of the other three contenders has featured in the semi-finals, while the 29-year-old Gasquet has played just two in his entire career, losing both in straight sets.
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Yet, buoyed by a wave of sentimental support and the euphoria of conquering his nerves to outlast French Open champion Stan Wawrinka in the quarter-finals, the dashing grass-court threat of the rugby-loving Beziers fan is not taken lightly by the champion.
Djokovic swears he now sees a different opponent to the one he’s previously dominated 11-1 in head-to-heads. “He always had the touch and the talent but the biggest difference with Richard now from a couple of years ago is his fitness. He’s worked hard to get himself really fit and ready to go the distance and it's paying off,” he observes.
It’s a respectful nod from Djokovic who, in his sixth consecutive Wimbledon semi-final, seems to be carrying the burden of Championship favourite lightly enough after surviving his one scare against South African Kevin Anderson in the fourth round.
“I've been playing really good and I’m hoping an extra gear can come out now in the semi-finals,” says Djokovic. If it does, Serbia’s elastic man will surely outpace them all once more.
