"Unloved champ" Djokovic fires tennis ball at Stephen Colbert

"Ladies and gentlemen, it has been an honor being your host."

New Late Show king Stephen Colbert invited a notably hoarse Novak Djokovic to his TV program this week. Djokovic, who quipped that he was operating on two-and-a-half hours of sleep, did precisely what the cable-turned-broadcast vet asked of him, serving a tennis ball squarely into the side of a Captain America shield. See their close encounter here:

The U.S. Open men's singles champion now owns 10 major titles, placing him seven back of SABR-rattling Roger Federer's all-time high of 17. For Djokovic, known to some as "the unloved champion," being invited onto Colbert's show was the cherry topping on the cake of besting Federer for yet another major crown.

Perhaps that makes his $3.3 million New York pay day the icing. Regardless, it's Novak's world, and the rest of his ATP World Tour mates, like Colbert, are flailing around in it.

Check out Djokovic's full TV assault on Manhattan here.

Follow Jon on Twitter @jonscott9. News tips gladly accepted. Serving tips kindly refused.