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Djokovic moved by 9/11 children

(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-09-11 10:45

NEW YORK: Novak Djokovic is best known for his talent on a tennis court and cheeky sense of humor, but he has shown a more serious side to his nature at this year's US Open.

The tournament, because of its timing, will inevitably always be clouded by painful memories of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in Manhattan which killed almost 3,000 people.

And it was with that in mind that the 22-year-old Serb, a finalist here in 2007 and the Australian Open champion the following year, invited children of 9/11 victims to share his players' box on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court.

Having experienced the violence that wracked his own country in the 1990s civil war while he was growing up in Belgrade, Djokovic says he understands the anguish and wanted to make a gesture of support with the invites to Flushing Meadows.

"We had this idea before the tournament and it's a gesture that I hope means something for them," he said.

"I've been meeting four different guys in these two weeks. I have been giving them some presents after the matches.

"Obviously we don't want to talk about the past and what happened. It's something that I have been going through, as well, something similar in my past, through the war and all these things.

"So I know what it feels like and I am just trying to bring some smiles and make them enjoy.

"I think that the guy I met today was watching a live tennis match for the first time. It was a quarterfinal at the US Open and certainly it was a fantastic feeling for him."

It was Djokovic himself who provided the main show on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court with a 7-6 (7/2), 7-5, 6-2 win over Spain's Fernando Verdasco that took him into the semifinals for the third straight year, where he faces Swiss No 1 Roger Federer.

It's their third consecutive clash at Flushing Meadows after the final of 2007 and the semifinals of last year.

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And once again he is enjoying support from the boisterous New York crowd, who lapped up his late-night sparring with New York legend John McEnroe after his fourth-round win over Radek Stepanek on Monday.

Djokovic was a sensation here with his player impersonations in 2007 but he got himself into the bad books last year by feuding with Andy Roddick over the American's asides at his medical timeouts.

After defeating the home favorite in the quarterfinals, he then moaned about the scheduling for his semifinal defeat to Federer, adding to the perception that he was a bad loser.

The McEnroe interlude, his hiring of American Todd Martin on his coaching staff and his own stellar play have won back the affections of the fans this year and Djokovic says that can only be good for him.

"Obviously the crowd is very important and plays a crucial role in big matches," he said. "What happened last year ... was a misunderstanding and obviously something that we all learn from. I learned from my mistakes.

"It's all right, as long as I realize the things that happen and try to take the best out of it and then try to gain back the crowd.

"I hope that's what I did because I feel that I'm enjoying it again much more. It feels like 2007 when I played the final here and did all these crazy things, impersonating the players."

AFP