Paes-Bhupathi spoke, almost dispassionately, about their chances of resuming the quest for a medal possibly four years from now, and certainly two years later at the Commonwealth and Asian Games. Consume that statement with as much salt as you like.

Today, the old procedures were there, their complex system of gestures, for instance, to shift into set play. In the second game of the second set, for instance: 40-15, Paes puts his hand behind his back, Bhupathi serves, they immediately switch half-courts and the game is theirs. It was, however, not always so smooth. Far too often they were suddenly stranded, with Federer forcing a no man’s land through the middle of their court.

This match may not have been Paes-Bhupathi’s to win. But it was an instance when a once great doubles pair did not care to show that they’d like to go down as a doubles pair to cherish. Paes and Bhupathi were hustled into partnering each other at the Beijing Olympics. But having been forced together, they could have made a grand gesture of their choice to recall the dream run of 1999-2000. Because doubles acquire identity with long-time partnership.

Earlier, if Federer is unaccustomed to explaining himself to journalists at half past one in the morning, he did not show it. Once Paes-Bhupathi had left the venue in the heavy drizzle, Federer tried to account for his loss, earlier on Thursday evening, to James Blake in the men’s singles quarter-final, 4-6, 6-7.

It was one of those moments when the truly great sportspersons show in defeat what has made them so extraordinary in victory. “It wasn’t my best night out there,” he said in dignified incomprehension. “But it was not bad. It is a tough one.”

... contd.