Djokovic hit an unprecedented 100 unforced errors throughout the match – a self-proclaimed record number of mistakes – which spanned a grueling four hours and 32 minutes.
Simon nagged the No. 1 seed the entire time, returning balls and waiting for the champion to make a mistake, with frustrations boiling over in a tense fourth set before the class of the champ came to the fore in the fifth.
In the shortest set of the match, the Serb broke early to eventually win: 6-3, 6-7, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3.
In his post-match press conference, Djokovic said he was pleased to win the match despite producing one of his worst on-court performances in recent years.
“Unfortunately you have days like this,” Djokovic said, “It’s actually good to win when you play that bad.”
“In terms of the level I’ve played it’s a match to forget for me.”
When asked if he had ever hit 100 unforced errors in a match before, the five-time Australian Open winner said he had “never been close”.
“But there’s a first time for everything,” he added
Djokovic admitted he will need to step up his game on Tuesday, when he faces the seventh seed Kei Nishikori, who dismantled world No. 10 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in straight sets earlier on Sunday. Enditem
Source: Xinhua
