Day 7: All You Need is a Little Patience

There was no need for Mr. Fantastic to call on his super friends in his battle against surprising Frenchman Olivier Patience and the partisan Paris crowd on Day 7. He didn't need to display of his superpowers, either. Nope. All he needed was a little patience.



Faced with the prospect of being the victim of the tournament's biggest upset so far, Novak Djokovic did what any potentially great player SHOULD do. He didn't panic. He didn't start to become perturbed by every little thing, hoping a burst of anger would ignite his game. He didn't try to demonstrably alter his approach against the #129th-ranked opponent that there was no chance of toppling without a course correction on this day. Instead, he buckled down and played his game, fully believing that everything would be all right as long as he kept his head.

A player with Djokovic's ability can afford to have such confidence, I suppose. It worked for him, too. The 20-year old Serb outlasted Patience for a 7-6/2-6/3-6/7-6/6-3 victory, as he finally outraced his 27-year old opponent with an 8-5 advantage in winners in the final set, and while committing only half as many unforced errors (11 to 20). Djokovic only converted 2-of-16 break point attempts in the match, but the single one he got in the final stanza was enough to put this potential nightmare behind him, turning it into a learning experience. Patience actually held three break points on Djokovic's serve at 3-3 in the 5th, but Mr. Fantastic held on. In the next game, Patience led 40-15 only to see the Serb roar back to break to go up 5-3, then serve out the match... just like any "next big thing" should.

Djokovic is the youngest remaining player in the men's draw, but most think he's got the best chance of reaching and/or winning this whole thing if neither Federer nor Nadal do so. But, despite winning today, Djokovic wasn't satisfied.

Sometimes, being #3 in so many people's eyes is a good thing, and maybe it is for Djokovic on some level, as well. But it won't be for much longer... if it ever was at all.




All for now.

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