This Joke-ovic is a court jester too

NEW YORK: Novak Djokovic showed off his impersonations after a US Open quarter-final victory on Thursday, serving notice that he might be the next star personality in tennis as well as its hottest new contender.

The Serbian who beat blitzed Spain’s Carlos Moya, drew laughs and cheers from the crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium with his impressions of Maria Sharapova and Rafael Nadal after prodding from a television announcer.

“I enjoyed it,” Djokovic said. “I’m really happy the people accepted it in a positive way, not trying to make fun of Maria or Rafa or anybody else, just trying to make people laugh and enjoy and have a good time.” 

The third seed whose name is aptly pronounced “Joke-o-vic” used his skills at exaggerated mannerisms first as Sharapova, tucking in his shirt, skipping and bouncing beyond the baseline, then sticking out his chest as he walked.

From the baseline, Djokovic mocked the Russian beauty by slowly smoothing back his hair over each ear, then lifting his arm and bouncing the ball high before firing off a serve.

“It’s funny. He does it very well,” Moya said. “That’s a gift. If he doesn’t succeed in tennis maybe he has a good career in that. I guess he’s pretty successful in tennis though.”

To impersonate Nadal, Djokovic rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, bent over to adjust his shoes, raced to the baseline and repeatedly grabbed and tugged at his shorts, especially by the rear.

“These are just some of the things I usually do to make people laugh. This is one of the ways I like to relax and smile,” said Djokovic, whose flamboyance as a showman harkens to the days when players would banter with the crowds.

Djokovic said that only US fifth seed Andy Roddick, another favourite for him to impersonate, has tried to give him a taste of his own medicine. Asked if there was a player he had yet to master copying, Djokovic named the same player he has yet to master on the court - Swiss world number one Roger Federer.

“The untouchable one, Roger, he’s too perfect for my style,” Djokovic said. “Plus I don’t have long hair. I hope he doesn’t hear this.” Djokovic added that, “You cannot play all the time at the same level, like Roger, but that is what we all try to do.”

 Naming John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors as the funniest players he had seen, Djokovic said he was “like a mouse” when it came to his copycating when he was lower ranked.