If you decide to watch Roger Federer announcing his retirement from competitive tennis in a four-and-half minute social media post, then prepare to be unsurprised.
Unsurprised not only that age - he bows out at 41 - and an increasingly tough battle with injuries means he will make his final appearance as a professional player in the Laver Cup in London next week. But also unsurprised at the slickness of the announcement, unsurprised how Federer - in front of a cool, white backdrop - is word-perfect, slick and hits all the right notes.
Because never mind the astonishing statistics and achievements, never mind the numbers, remember the style. Of course, his 20 Grand Slam titles, his eight Wimbledon crowns, his 103 career tournament wins, his 237 consecutive weeks as world number one, define Federer’s sporting career.
Those figures tell you he is the greatest grass court player of all time, tell you he has a claim to be THE greatest player of all time, tell you he is in the conversation when it comes to discussing the greatest sportsman of all time.
They tell you he is in Tiger Woods territory, Serena Williams territory. What they do not tell you is HOW he collected those figures. They do not paint pictures in the way that Federer painted pictures on a tennis court.
Of the Big Three - and to accrue those triumphs mainly in the era of Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic was remarkable in itself - Federer was the artist, Federer was the throwback genius in an era of double-handed brutality.
His languid brilliance was matched by his longevity. Elite tennis is punishing, as Andy Murray - Federer’s great friend and rival - knows only too well. But Federer won his first Wimbledon in 2003 and his last in 2017, his final Grand Slam triumph coming the following year in Australia.
And in a sport where most are, forgave the pun, highly-strung, Federer also managed to keep a lid on his temper for most of the time. Not all the time, but most of the time. Unlike many.
In short, Federer - a philanthropist who has raised millions for charity through his foundation and whose charming wife and family have been part of his life for so long - has always seemed to be too good to be true.
But for once, that adage is utterly wrong. Federer has just been too good not to go down as one of the finest sportsmen or women ever.
He has certainly been one of the most wonderful to watch in a career full of trophies … but also in a career full of seemingly effortless excellence.
And that is the ultimate trick of the true sporting great.
