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Novak Djokovic reacts during his marathon five-set win over Gilles Simon at the 2016 Australian Open — a match where he produced 100 unforced errors. (AP Photo)
Novak Djokovic has looked spectacularly flawless so far at Melbourne Park this week as he bids for a 25th Grand Slam on his most successful surface — his beloved “Happy Slam,” the Australian Open.
The 24-time major champion, who earlier this week became the first man to reach 100 Australian Open wins, is pitted against Botic van de Zandschulp in the third round at Rod Laver Arena on Saturday. Things were far from smooth sailing at the same venue, exactly 10 years ago, on January 24, 2016. He would falter and flounder with an unusual century against his name and yet not surrender!
Djokovic dug a grave for himself that afternoon. Entering the 2016 Australian Open as the reigning champion and world No. 1, he had cruised through the first three rounds without dropping a set. Then came Frenchman Gilles Simon. What followed was a four-hour-and-32-minute war that pushed Djokovic to the brink. Simon’s relentless defence and Djokovic’s increasingly faulty batch of drop shots dragged the contest into a fifth set — and into the history books for all the wrong reasons.
By the end of a gruelling marathon, Djokovic had committed a scarcely believable 100 unforced errors. Simon had extracted every ounce from the defending champion, who was chasing a record-equalling sixth Australian Open title.
Watching from the sidelines was Djokovic’s great rival of the era, Roger Federer, who later summed up Simon’s suffocating effect.
Djoker’s 100 sins: Watch the Djokovic v Simon AO 2016 4th round match
“He makes you miss. He makes you go for the lines and he runs down a lot of balls. A lot of points end in errors,” Federer said of Simon. “This was five sets. So, of course, there’s going to be a lot of unforced errors piling up. The question is if you have 50, 100, at the end of the day it doesn’t matter as long as you win.”
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Djokovic would squeeze through by doing exactly that, earning an eventual 6-3, 6-7 (1), 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 win after one of the more grinding days in his career. A startling 100 unforced errors would stare back at him from the scoresheet. Djokovic had to bear one look and forget them all.
“Sorry, everybody is laughing. I just want to hear, what did you say?” Djokovic said, looking into the stands. “No more drop shots,” pat came the response.
“OK, thanks buddy. I hate to say, but you are absolutely right,” Djokovic said acknowledging the spectator.
| Points (AO 2016) | Djokovic | Simon |
| Winners | 62 | 32 |
| Unforced Errors | 100 | 68 |
| Service Points Won | 64% (114/177) | 58% (111/192) |
| Return Points Won | 42% (81/192) | 36% (63/177) |
| Total Points Won | 53% (195/369) | 47% (173/369) |
‘Brain Freeze’
“I don’t think I’ve had any number close to 100. In terms of the level that I’ve played, it’s the match to forget for me.”
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“Sometimes you have a brain freeze, if I can call it that,” Djokovic said as he explained his peculiar lack of rhythm.
”Again, I won it, so it’s pretty good. When you’re playing that bad and still manage to win – hopefully it’s going to get better next one.”
The Serb would also appreciate his opponent’s tenacity.
“Playing against a player like Gilles you can expect a lot of rallies, he’s always making you play an extra shot. He’s a counter-puncher, probably one of the best if not the best on tour … credit and congratulations to him for a great fight and I wish him all the best.”
Getting that sticky game out of his system held Djokovic solid for the second week of his title defence. He aced the test with trademark Novak flair, beating Federer and Andy Muray en route to his sixth title win in Melbourne. A decade on, with a century of wins on these shores, Djokovic dreams of a place in the final and a 11th title at his most successful Slam.
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