Novak Djokovic, who first won over the crowds at Arthur Ashe Stadium with his comical imitations of other tennis players, now delights them with a flair that has made him the world’s No.1 player.
The 26-year-old Serbian reached his 12th grand slam final and fourth US Open title match in a row on Saturday by outlasting Swiss ninth seed Stanislas Wawrinka 2-6 7-6 (7-4) 3-6 6-3 6-4 after four hours and nine minutes.
Poking good-natured fun at Maria Sharapova, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer made Djokovic a US Open fan favorite, his night moves feeding off, and into, the entertaining spectacle of late matches on the Flushing Meadows hardcourts.
“It is something special, really,” Djokovic said. “The experience of the night session on Arthur Ashe is like no other really tournament. It offers this electrical kind of atmosphere that carries also the players, also makes them play their best and enjoy every moment.”
But as Djokovic has become a regular in the US Open final, his skill has overtaken his personality in earning applause from the New York crowds.
Djokovic reached his first grand slam final at age 20 in the 2007 US Open final, falling to Roger Federer, but won his first major title in his next slam start at the Australian Open, an event he has also won the past three years.
In 2010, Djokovic lost to Rafael Nadal in the US Open final, but again his effort hinted at a breakthrough to come.
Djokovic began the 2011 season with 41 wins in a row, taking the Australian Open as well as crowns in Dubai, Indian Wells, Miami, Belgrade, Madrid and Rome before losing to Federer in a French Open semi-final.
He followed by winning his next 16 matches, including a Wimbledon crown, and captured the US Open title as well, downing Nadal in the final.
Last year, Djokovic reached the US Open final again, only to see Britain’s Andy Murray win his first slam title.
It’s a long way from the schoolboy in the Serbian mountains who faced the horrors of war during UN bombings of Serbia in his youth.
“War is the worst thing in life for humanity. Nobody really wins,” Djokjovic said. “But it made us stronger, this two and a half months.”
“Luckily we all survived and we take this experience and this particular situation from our past as a great lesson in life and something that allowed us to be stronger mentally and to actually understand what it is to basically have nothing, start from zero, from scratch, and arrive to where we are.”
Now Djokovic, whose parents and uncle were professional skiers, runs a foundation to help Serbian youth. He will host a charity event to help the cause the day after he plays for his seventh Grand Slam title.
One big change Djokovic has made in his life lately is adopting a gluten-free diet, which he credits for keeping him at the peak of his game and helping him stay atop the rankings.
“This particular diet changed my life really in a positive way and affected positively my career and my overall feeling on and off the court,” he said.
Just before this year’s US Open, Djokovic spoke to the United Nations to represent all athletes ahead of next April 6, the UN’s designated International Day of Sport for development and peace.
“I was blown away that I got personally to speak at the UN,” Djokovic said. “I know that big world decisions are made at that place. I had a feeling we were part of something big.”
