Aussie Mad Dog just wants 'to be like Mike'

Aussie Marinko Matosevic was in the middle of a crushing US Open first round defeat at the hands of Roger Federer when suddenly his mood lifted.

‘Mad Dog’, as the volatile Matosevic is known, had already dropped the first two sets and was down a break in the third.

He was starting to berate himself for missed shots and opportunities when in the crowd, in Federer’s box no less, Matosevic spotted one of his sporting idols.

His Airness, Michael Jordan was at Arthur Ashe Stadium taking in the match.

All of a sudden the Aussie’s mood changed, he screamed out, 'I just want to be like Mike'.

He walked right to the back of the court, pointing to Jordan, scarcely believing he was looking at the basketball legend.

The crowd ate it up, the American commentators said Matosevic’s reaction was ‘cool’.

Jordan himself seemed slightly embarrassed by the commotion and just smiled and gave a gentle shake of the head.

It seemed to buoy Matosevic on though. That very game he broke Federer’s serve.

It was a rare highlight in a straight sets flogging but one the Aussie is unlikely to forget.

Jordan was there supporting Federer after the pair decided to collaborate on a pair of Nike shoes that the Swiss great was sporting on court.

The collaboration is sure to make Nike a fortune, the shoe already a social media star and in demand from some of tennis’s biggest names.

More-celebrated compatriots Samantha Stosur, Casey Dellacqua and Bernard Tomic will be fancied to go further in the draw after advancing.