Entertainer Djokovic tries to keep his feet on the ground

By Mark Lamport-Stokes

INDIAN WELLS, California (Reuters) - Serb Novak Djokovic has been catapulted into the limelight since winning this year's Australian Open but he has made every effort to remain unchanged as a person.

However, he is rapidly gaining a celebrity profile in the United States and appeared on NBC television's popular Tonight Show on Tuesday before playing his opening match at the Pacific Life Open.

"Believe me, it was absolutely different," Djokovic told reporters after beating Italian Andreas Seppi 6-3 7-6 in Saturday's second round at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

"I have been in many shows and I have had tons and tons of interviews in my career but this was something else.

"English is not my first language. I speak it well and I try to be funny, casual, smart and simple. But you can't when you're thinking about a thousand things and you have a thousand thoughts on what should you say."

Fun-loving Djokovic, who entertained tennis fans with his impressions of other players at last year's U.S. Open and also at the Australian Open in January, had been eager to appear on the Tonight Show hosted by Jay Leno.

"It was important for me as a professional tennis player to be represented to the American people, the ones who don't follow tennis as much as the tennis lovers," said the 20-year-old from Belgrade.

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