Pull rope got harder to pull suddenly?

I used my 7 yr old echo SRM-2100 a day ago was running OK, turn it off momentarly. Tried re-star to resume cutting, and the pull rope was hard to pull all of a sudden. I can pull it, but with difficulty and of course can not get the proper pull to start engine or / will not crank.
Rope will recoil but as I have said it is really difficult to pull and it seems to also skip as I pull. Has it had it's last days?

John
March 2010