Sometimes all you can do is laugh.
That has never been truer than for Frenchman Adrian Mannarino during his bloodbath against inexorable Serbian tennis legend Novak Djokovic during their fourth-round Australian Open clash on Sunday afternoon.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Crowd goes wild as Novak Djokovic loses a game.
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Djokovic very nearly pulled off the rare feat of winning an entire match to love, denying Mannarino of winning a game until early in the third set.
Mannarino was effectively helpless as the 10-time Australian Open champion took no prisoners in a 6-0, 6-0, 6-3 beating at Melbourne Park.
The contest was so brutal that even Mannarino had to laugh, covering his eyes with his fingers in the shape of two zeros after dropping the first two sets without even hitting the scoreboard, in what was a hilarious moment of self-deprecation that had the Rod Laver Arena crowd in stitches.
“He is just happy to be able to tell his kids and grandkids that he played against the best. Great lad I love the attitude,” one fan on social media said of the moment.
“At least he’s having fun with it lmao he knows he playing the GOAT of tennis,” another said.
And while the image received backlash from some fans who thought it was a defeatist attitude unbecoming of a professional tennis player, most saw the funny side of it.
“Mannarino is unique and we need more players like him that bring something special to tennis,” someone said.
“Bless him for having a sense of humour about it,” another fan added.
Even at 6-0, 2-0 up, Djokovic fought tooth and nail not to drop a game to the Frenchman, fist-pumping feverishly after saving break point, then celebrating almost as if he’d won the title after holding for a 3-0 advantage.
It was bizarre behaviour, to say the least, yet he later admitted he wanted to give up a game to Mannarino despite the prospect of a 6-0 6-0 6-0 win.
“I really wanted to lose that game in the third set because the tension was building in the stadium,” Djokovic said.
In any case it emphasised the super Serb’s insatiable appetite to gobble up Margaret Court’s record and capture an unprecedented 25th grand slam singles crown next Sunday.
Even if he doesn’t, the 36-year-old seems to be setting records every time he steps on court these days.
Sunday’s victory vaulted the top seed into an astonishing 58th grand slam-quarter-final, matching the feat of his long-time contemporary and now retired great Roger Federer.
Despite the crushing win, it wasn’t all smooth going for Djokovic, who coughed and spluttered throughout.
The 24-time major winner said he’d been ill during the first week, but Rod Laver – the legend whose name is on the centre-court arena that Djokovic has made his own – on Saturday posed the question: “Is he having us on?”
– With Glenn Valencich
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