Martin Verkerk reached the French Open final with a big serve and a big smile today, hoping that the unbelievable joke would continue just a little longer.
"It's a dream, but it's also a little bit of a joke," said the unseeded Dutchman after his 7-6 6-4 7-6 victory over Argentine Guillermo Coria.
Verkerk has taken the French Open by storm, cutting his way through the tournament to become the first player since Swede Mikael Pernfors in 1986 to reach the final at his first attempt.
"I'm not happy yet," warned the 24-year-old who will meet Spaniard Albert Costa or Juan Carlos Ferrero in Sunday's final. Verkerk has shocked everyone, including himself, but wants to tackle his newfound fame with the same relaxed attitude that got him this far.
A youth gilded with tennis talent, he confesses to having wasted his time partying instead of practising, an approach he altered only a year ago.
"This is changing my life. I don't know what's going to happen to me but I hope to keep relaxed and I hope people will relax too and not make it bigger than it is," he said.
His serve was again his main weapon against a hapless Coria. Verkerk has hit 112 aces since the start of the tournament, an unbelievable feat on a slow surface like clay.
His serve could be fearsomely effective next month at Wimbledon if the Dutchman had any experience on grass. Which is not the case.
"I don't think I ever hit a ball on grass. But if I serve like this, I'm never going to be broken.
"I will only need a break here and there to win," he said. But the joker recently turned into a worker and his attitude towards his sport has changed completely.
"My secret is hours and hours on the court. They say if you work hard, eat well and sleep well, do all the right things, it'll work one day," he added."This day has come."