DON'T GET MAD, GET GLAD

HATCHET JOB:

Novak Djokovic

Nole Cakes loses it to frustration during his first set loss in his second round at The Australian Open.

Anger led the seething Serb to slam his racquet into the court, throw it about and cuss in his native tongue.

He pulled himself together after losing the first set, calmed down and won the match to make it to the third round.

Nole wins:   3-6, 6-1, 6-1, 6-3 

Via Reuters:

 After muttering in Serbian, roaring in frustration and throwing his racket in anger, Novak Djokovic was relieved to get past pesky second-round opponent Marco Chiudinelli at the Australian Open Thursday.

Former champion Djokovic seemed a tortured soul early in his 3-6 6-1 6-1 6-3 win over the 58th-ranked Swiss, throwing away the first set in a hail of unforced errors and angst-filled cries.

"Well, definitely I was frustrated, especially at start of the match, because he was really giving it to me," a more tranquil Djokovic later told reporters.

"He was very aggressive and stepping in and using every opportunity that has been given to him.

"So automatically I just became too defensive and didn't really make too much. Just waiting for his mistakes."

After handing a break back to allow Chiudinelli to level at 3-3 in the first set, third-seeded Djokovic pulled a new racket from his bag.

Not long after, it was pounding into Rod Laver Arena's court, and the set was blown.

Djokovic's travails continued against the Swiss in the second, but after saving five break points to advance to 3-1, the Serbian finally found the 'on' switch after an hour of groping about in the dark.

Winners found their mark, his serve behaved and he mowed through the next three sets in just over two hours with barely a groan.

"I managed to make that transition from being defensive to being offensive and changing pace and holding the game in control in the second and third set," Djokovic said matter-of-factly.

The Serbian's ability to find an extra gear when stalled helped him haul in France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga when a set down to clinch the 2008 title.

But after collapsing with heat exhaustion in the quarter-final against Andy Roddick last year, he is more circumspect about his chances this year.

"There are some things that I obviously have to improve in order play better. But, you know, the opening rounds, especially at the Australian Open, are where a lot of surprises happen," he said.

Nole:

Never let them see you angry.

Be cool.

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