Federer, Serena both upset; was it age or opponent?

Time often is the athlete’s friend. The longer a game or a match or a tournament goes on, the better the chances of the favorite. Yet, as the years go by, time, the pal, the benefactor, becomes the enemy.

As surely it was Tuesday for the best tennis players of their time — arguably of all time — Roger Federer and Serena Williams.

In Geneva in his homeland, Switzerland — where he never loses — Federer was beaten 6-4. 4-6. 6-4 by Pablo Andujar of Spain.

You could say that Federer missed much of the 2020 season after two knee surgeries. You could say that Federer had not played since losing in Doha in March. You could say that the match was on clay, Federer’s least favorite surface.

You also could say that Federer is 39, which happens to be the same age as Serena, who in Parma, Italy, was stunned, 7-5 (4), 6-2, by somebody named Katarina Sinakova.

Williams was in the Emilia-Romagna Open as a wild-card invitee, after losing her opening match in the Italian Open in Rome. Along with Federer, she is preparing for the French Open (or if you prefer, Roland Garros), which starts May 30.

There are upsets, if rarely in the early rounds, and there are indications. Federer, with his record 20 Slams, and Serena, with her near-record 23, are not the players they once were and never will be again. It’s one thing to lose to Stan Wawrinka or Andy Murray. It’s another to lose to Pablo Andujar, ranked 78th (Federer is 8th).

Maybe Serena and Roger will accept their declining play without regret — Chris Evert said in her mind there was nothing wrong with being third in the world after Ranking No. 1 — but can we?

Does their popularity linger, or do the fans and the media, out of obligation, seek other choices?

Change is inevitable in sport, in life. Age brings injury — Federer was able to stay healthy for so long, but for him, as with others, pounding shots, catching flights, the body wears down.

You’re the king or the queen, but there’s always some new kid hovering over your shoulder.

Once, when things were tough, when losing seemed probable, Serena would power one of those monster serves or Federer could come up with a beautiful passing shot.

That’s why they were great. That’s why the people on the other side of the net ended up in awe and in defeat.

After beating Federer, Andujar, a 35-year-old from Spain, was as much in disbelief as in elation. “It’s amazing,” said Andujar. ”I still cannot believe it.”

A year or three ago, none of us would have believed it. But this is now, 2021, and Roger Federer is battling himself as much as his opponents.

He understands what he’s up against. The confidence ebbs as the years multiply, not that Roger and Serena would make that admission.

“It’s good to be back on the court,” Federer said candidly, “but then you lost a match like this, and you’re down. It never feels great. I was looking forward to playing here. No doubt about it. But this is a press conference where I have to explain why and how it all happened.”

That’s the price that champions pay. And no question, it’s much harder to explain why you lose than how you won — especially after all those wins, more than 100.

Serena had the same problem, telling us what was wrong, particularly since what was wrong may be as simple and unescapable as getting older.

Until now, she only got better.