And then in 2009, Rafa was not there. Federer beat Robin Soderling in straight sets. The new champion did not admit it at the time, but later, when the dust had settled, he confessed that he always knew that one day his nemesis would not be in the final to thwart him. That day came, he took his chance and he won.

Now Alexander Zverev and Flavio Cobolli have just such a day: no Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz or Novak Djokovic to rip the trophy from their grasp. This is a moment like no other for both men.

The two are great friends, they are both coached by their fathers and the two dads have shared wisdom and advice with each other over the years. It clearly worked because both Zverev and Cobolli have come through the draw relatively unscathed – and that is quite the achievement in this championship of upsets and surprises.

Zverev, in particular, has been ominously good so far. He has dropped a couple of sets but he has never looked threatened. His laser-guided backhand and thundering serve have repelled all threats and just as his tennis has been relentlessly impressive, his approach has been calm and understated. He is simply getting on with business.

Cobolli, too, is trying to stay calm as all his Christmases come at once. He got his first taste of Grand Slam success last summer by reaching the Wimbledon quarter-finals and he took to playing big matches on big stages like a duck to water. This, though, is very different.

Gifted a pass to the final when Matteo Arnaldi withdrew due to illness, he has not played a match in four days. His emotions were all over the place on Friday evening when he learned about Arnaldi’s woes: delighted to be in his first Grand Slam final but almost in tears because his great friend and compatriot was in such distress.

Somehow, he has to click back into the rhythm and routines that have got him this far. Will the extra rest help him? He has no idea. “I tell you after the final,” he said, helpfully.

Both men like to attack from the baseline. Both have impressive serves. Both have efficient returns. Both hit winners with abandon. Both control the majority of the rallies, be they long or short. Zverev has an enormous wingspan – it is all but impossible to get the ball past him. Cobolli moves like greased lightning – it is all but impossible to get the ball past him, too. But in all the stats, Zverev has the edge. Not by much but, then, Grand Slam titles are won by small margins.

Zverev has waited and worked for this day for a lifetime. Tipped as a potential champion since his junior days, he has spent the past 20 years trying to prove that the pundits were right.

His three previous major finals ended in disappointment: Carlos Alcaraz beat him here two years ago, Jannik Sinner beat him in Australia last year and Dominic Thiem beat him in New York in 2020. Six years ago, he served for the title but that was his undoing.

His serve, in those days, could be a liability as he coughed up double fault after double fault. Today, his serve is a fearsome weapon, one that he doesn’t even have to think about.

“It's a shot I was struggling with, for sure, in the past,” he said. “But I think it's a shot that I probably practised the most out of any tennis shot that I do. I don't think about it so much anymore. When I stand there, I decide what I want to do, and I just do it.”

Cobolli, meanwhile, is trying to keep everything under control. He was desperately nervous in the fourth round and almost as tight in the quarter-final. But instead of looking towards his team for reassurance and calming words, he did not dare make eye contact with them.

If he was nervous, it was as nothing compared to his coach and father, Stefano. When he reached the Wimbledon quarterfinals last year, everyone in his box was in floods of tears and the emotions spilled over to the spectators in the stands who were also dabbing their eyes. No, Flavio; don’t look at Dad. Just play. And when he plays, Cobolli is a revelation.

He moves like a jet-propelled whippet; he plays with passion and panache (channelling Fabio Fognini at his finest) and his forehand is lethal, particularly on clay. His serve, too, is deceptively venomous. Not the tallest of players at 6ft (1.83m), he generates remarkable power with it while his kick serve is regarded by many of his conquered foes as almost unplayable.

By reaching the final, Cobolli is assured of a place in the world’s top 10 come Monday, a new career high. And should he win on Sunday, he will be the new No.5. As is their custom whenever Cobolli reaches a new rankings milestone, he and his team celebrate with a long and emotional group hug. It is no wonder he dare not look at them when the nerves are jangling during a match.

On Sunday, then, all comes down to who has the nerve to take their chances. Carpe diem, gentlemen. Carpe diem.