A frightening statistic from Novak Djokovic's five-set victory over Gilles Simon: The world No. 1 committed 100 unforced errors, but still won the match to set up an Australian Open quarterfinal with Kei Nishikori.
Simon suffered his 10th consecutive loss to Djokovic, but earned a bit of a moral victory.
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The slender Frenchman became the first man to take a set off Djokovic this year.
So what's the key to challenging the 10-time Grand Slam champion?
No fear, says Simon.
"I think one of my strengths is I don't fear them really," Simon said of facing Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. "Like I just see them as humans and tennis players. They are fantastic. They can play an amazing tennis, but they still have some weaknesses on the court. I just try to use it. That's it."
Simon suggested some players mentally capitulate to the defending champion too early in matches.
"Sometimes I feel the players, they are not always trying their best when they play, for example, against Novak," Simon said. "At the start Novak is playing fantastic and the match is over after 20 minutes. I just try to, one more time, do my best point after point, minute after minute, try to find some solution, try to feel better on the court.
"I really believe inside that if I can play what I want to play, I will give them trouble, like I have facing it."
Fearlessness alone isn't enough to get the job done. Simon says it takes the "perfect match" to beat Djokovic.
"It's hard to beat him. You have to play a perfect match," Simon said. "In a five-set match, you have to be able to play for three, four, five hours maybe. That's right now the ultimate challenge when you are a tennis player to beat him in a slam. That is what is hard."
Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve