This just in: Roger Federer is definitely human. Twelve months ago the world rocked on its axis when the six-time champion lost at the quarter-final stage here to Tomas Berdych.
The unthinkable not only happened again, when he fell in the last eight to an utterly beguiling display from Jo-Wilfried Tsonga; more significantly, Federer surrendered a Grand Slam match from two sets up for the first time in his career.
The semi-final line-up will not comprise the much-vaunted Big Four after all, and Tsonga deserved every bit of his 3-6, 6-7(3), 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 victory. The Centre Court crowd do not forgive many who defeat their beloved Federer, but what the Frenchman gave them in charm, they roared back in approval.
Yet brave was the punter who backed Tsonga to win after the opening two sets. It was not that he was blown away by Federer's brilliance. For a crucial phase in each set, his concentration went walkabout. He gave himself no chance, and the match seemed over.
He opened with a thoroughly poor service game and in six minutes he was 3-0 down. He began to warm up a little and sent down a burning return for a chance to break back, but Federer served crisply to save. Another chance went by in similar fashion. Tsonga was at least in the match, but the set was gone in 27 minutes.
Tsonga's problem as much as anything was that he was failing to engage the crowd, who so often respond with such warmth to him. The second set went with serve to the breaker, and it felt crucial that Tsonga must take it. Instead it all went wrong.
He made an early mistake to concede the mini-break and then just couldn't stay with Federer. No wonder Tsonga shook his head in frustration when he managed to save one set point for 2-6, and he got another back after that. But Federer made simple work of the formalities. The trainer was called to treat a sting on Tsonga's wrist, but his pride was hurting more.
When a muffed smash from Federer gave Tsonga two chances to break at the start of the third, it seemed an irrelevance, especially when Federer batted away the problem with ease.
But Tsonga forced a third with a cross-court backhand and suddenly the crowd were roaring for him - and they roared louder still when he sent down an extraordinary forehand to clip the line. Federer challenged the call in vain. Twice in the set Tsonga would be 0-30 down on his serve, and such was Federer's resistance that Tsonga required four set points to get the job done. But an ace did the trick.
He wasted no time in the fourth. Powerful strokeplay gave him the leverage he needed, and a fabulously swashbuckling rally nabbed him the break for 2-1. Just as well the Centre Court roof was not closed, as the bellow of the crowd would surely have lifted it off. Tsonga sprinted back to his chair with his fist raised in exultation. Another of those handy aces on set point levelled the match, and this time Tsonga went back to the chair with his face set in concentration.
Was it in Federer's mind that he had never lost a Grand Slam match from two sets up? He could not reassert himself, and netted a backhand to give two break points. A scorching Tsonga forehand sealed the deal, with the crowd now positively yelping.
Nor would he yield on his own serve, delivering a stunning drop volley for a tough hold. He never looked back, taking victory on his first match point. Federer may yet win a seventh Wimbledon crown, but it will not be in 2011.
I'm too depressed to write anything cohesive right now. I don't really care who wins this thing anymore. I'm just gonna go and wallow in my sadness for a while *sigh*.
In all fairness Federer didn't play bad, Tsonga just played better. I may not even bother watching the rest of the tournament at this point.
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