Video: Djokosmash

News

Scores

Rankings

Lucky Letcord Podcast

Shop

Pro Gear

Pickleball

Gear Sale

Popular This Week

Alcaraz: Pain-Free but Unwilling to Hit Forehand wit...

HJTEP 52nd Annual Gala Set for NYC, Tickets on Sale ...

Sabalenka: Watching Men's Tennis More Fun

Nadal: Trying to Give Best, It's Not Always There

Vondrousova Shares Heartbreak of Divorce

Lenglen Gets a Makeover: New Roof Set to Debut on Ma...

Mauresmo: Nadal Seed at Roland Garros Not on the Tab...

Novak Djokovic took care of business on Tuesday in Miami, surviving a difficult tussle with the always dangerous Alexandr Dolgopolov in three sets, but the world No. 1 and four-time Miami champion didn’t do so without a bit of a meltdown (see video above).

More: Djokovic Survives the Snarly Dog

After falling behind 5-4 in the first set, the Serb terminated the life of one of his trusty Head racquets. But don’t feel bad for the racquet. It was a swift, painless death, and it had a good life, making it all the way to Stadium Court in Miami.

There are many racquets that spend their days in closets, or in the trunks of cars, or in the hands of 2.5-level players on seedy public courts.

This racquet made it to the top of the pops, if only for a few games.

Like the great Neil Young once said: “My my, hey hey. It’s better to burn out then to fade away.”

Djokovic would later try to express the way he felt on the court at that moment, saying “It's just I played a lot of matches. I had a great start of the year, but in some other way it's taking a little bit of a toll mentally on me. I mean, I don't feel that I'm very fresh on the court, even though I'm trying.”

Djokovic hopes that a day off will help him recharge his batteries for the quarterfinals. He’s just three matches away from becoming the first man in history to win the Indian Wells-Miami double for a third time.

“Again, I'm in the quarterfinals of this tournament,” he said. “This day off tomorrow will definitely serve me and help me to recover mentally mostly, because physically I'm fine. I feel okay. Hopefully I can, you know, perform better in the next one.”

Posted: