Two years have passed since Roger Federer's last Grand Slam win, and his supporters are growing restless.
Does the maestro, at age 30, still have enough game to win seven consecutive best-of-five matches over the course of a fortnight, against predominantly younger and fresher players?
Every superstar player is nudged from his peak into the limbo of last opportunity before descending into retirement. History shows that Father Time is often harsh, seldom allowing aging heroes to dip into the Fountain of Youth.
We will examine the years following the transitional 70s, when the advent of the Open era served as a cradle for professionalism while doubling as an extended retirement community. Aging stars such as Ken Rosewell and John Newcombe successfully prolonged their careers before being weeded out by the brave new world.
Most stars such as Bjorn Borg, John McEnroe, Mats Wilander, Ivan Lendl, Stefan Edberg and Jim Courier were never able to capture another Slam after falling from the top. There are various reasons for each of their stories.
But there is precedent to hearten Federer in his mission for more Grand Slams.
Here are six tennis greats who still won a Grand Slam in their twilight years.