NEW YORK -- Upon dispatching Zachary Svajda in four sets at the US Open on Wednesday night, Novak Djokovic found himself with a free afternoon in Queens. He spent it talking pitching mechanics with Sean Manaea.

Djokovic, the most decorated men’s tennis player of all time, used his off-day to head across the street to Citi Field, where he greeted Mets players, staffers and a small group of fans. Djokovic gifted Francisco Lindor a pair of Asics tennis shoes and Pete Alonso a signed racket. He even took some swings on the field and in the batting cage, where he swatted a few tennis balls before swapping out his racket for a baseball bat.

“It was very, very cool,” Manaea said. “The man’s a legend.”

Manaea admitted to being a little starstruck when Djokovic spent about 10 minutes chatting wi

See Full Page