NEW YORK: Novak Djokovic wants to win back the affections of the Flushing Meadows faithful a year after he had a very public falling out with the New York fans.

The darling of the crowds in 2007 for his cheeky impersonations of other players - notably Maria Sharapova and Rafael Nadal - the Serb sullied his reputation a year later by feuding with Andy Roddick over the American's asides at his medical timeouts.

After defeating the home favourite in the quarter-finals, he then moaned about the scheduling for his semi-final defeat to Roger Federer, adding to the perception that he was a bad loser.

All that is a thing of the past, Djokovic said after coasting past Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia 6-3, 6-1, 6-3 in his first round tie on Tuesday.

"What happened last year, the way I get it, to be honest, was like a fight with a girlfriend. Just a little fight with a girlfriend," he said.

"These things happen. It was something that everybody can learn from.

"I always felt like at home here. I played so well the last three years. I see no reason for me thinking about something that happened already.

"Today was great. I just hope that the fans will behave nice, you know, in the next rounds.

Djokovic has certainly taken one step that will ensure him some renewed backing from the US fans, signing Todd Martin as part of his coaching staff for Flushing Meadows and perhaps for a longer period if their association is fruitful.

Martin, who retired in 2004, was a hugely popular player in the United States, reaching two Grand Slam finals, in Australia in 1994 and in New York in 1999, and he was a stalwart of the US Davis Cup team for years.

"The last couple weeks we have been negotiating and trying to work things out," Djokovic said of Martin.

"Definitely we started working Monday after Cincinnati. We spent the whole week together away from the site at one place in New Jersey.

"We had a lot of hours on the court daily, and of course fitness with my coach, really trying hard to work on some things to improve the game and get ready for the most important tournament in this period of the year.

"Todd, being a top five player, playing a couple finals of the Grand Slams, and, of course, many other tournaments, and he's very respected in the tennis world, and he's a person that can help me a lot in any way, his experience. And he brought freshness to our team, which is always welcome."

Turning to his own game, which has brought him two titles this year and a year-best 53 wins level with Andy Murray, Djokovic said that he was in a good position to launch an assault on a second Grand Slam title to go with the 2008 Australian Open.

"So far physically I feel really fit," he said. "Obviously game wise, as you saw today, I am in a good form, good shape. Let's just hope I can continue this way."