Novak Djokovic salutes the fans he wants to win over. Photo via d.yimg.com

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Even after wrapping up his 6-1, 6-3, 6-3 win over #15 Radek Stepanek, #4 Novak Djokovic was a man on a mission.

A PR mission, to be precise.

In his last night match at the US Open, this time last year, Novak Djokovic was being booed off the court after criticizing Andy Roddick and chastising the pro-American crowd in retaliation for their not supporting him as well as to get back at Roddick for comments he had made about Djokovic's exaggerated injury complaints.

As a player who prides himself on his showmanship and charisma, the boos clearly affected Djokovic. Since the crowd turned on him last September, his results have gone sharply downhill.  He had made six of seven grand slam semifinals through the 2008 US Open, but has since fallen short of the semifinals in three straight slams. He didn't come close to defending his 2008 Australian Open title, ironically retiring with questionable injuries vs. Roddick in the quarterfinal. His ranking slipped from #3 to #4, and losses against top players have become more and more frequent.

So on his return to the stage that a year ago had opened a rough chapter in his career, Djokovic saw it fit to begin a new page for his image.

As soon as his post-match, on-court interview with ESPN's Darren Cahill began, Djokovic immediately began showering the New York crowd with praise.  He talked about how much he loved playing night matches in New York and how the fans there are the greatest, blowing more and more sunshine up the Big Apple's behind. 

Sensing the crowd warming to him the more and more he talked, Djokovic began looking for ways to extend his post-match time on the court.  He first called on his new coach/consultant Todd Martin to come down and hit with him on the court, which unsurprisingly the no-nonsense Martin was having none of.  Seeking someone more game for playing to the fans and cameras, Djokovic wisely turned his aim to the broadcast booth where John McEnroe stood, challenging the athlete/entertainer to come down on the court and play him, a challenge which McEnroe willingly accepted.

As McEnroe made his way down to the court and found a racquet, Djokovic reached into his old bag of crowd-pleasing tricks, imitating McEnroe's serve at Cahill's behest.  It was a pretty good impression of McEnroe in all (cutting due slack for not going lefty for the imitation), and was exactly the moment of deja vu back to 2007 when Djokovic was the charismatic (if cocky) newcomer just looking to put on a show that he had hoped to achieve.

When McEnroe finally made it to the court the two played about three points, all of which were of pretty limited quality due to McEnroe not having any preparation for the play.  But it was a nice hit-and-giggle that ended with an embrace at the net, and had to have left the fans feeling like they got more out of their tickets than just the lackluster drubbing of Stepanek.

You can see video of the whole McEnroe-Djokovic proceedings here, in what is a not great quality (but best I've seen so far) YouTube clip:

I think this has to do Djokovic a world of good, both with the fans and with his own self-confidence.  All the players care at least somewhat how the crowds receive them, and Djokovic more than most.  I have to think this will do him a world of good both in the short run and long run.  I don't even think it's a stretch to say that his post-match antics last night will give him a better shot of beating Fernando Verdasco in the quarterfinal.