Red-hot Djokovic kicks off title defence in style

Wednesday, 18 January 2012 00:11 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Reuters: Novak Djokovic stayed cool in the heat to kick off his Australian Open title defence with an emphatic 6-2 6-0 6-0 victory over Italian journeyman Paolo Lorenzi on Tuesday.

The Serbian, yawning under the sun at Rod Laver Arena, stumbled early with a break to trail 2-1, but rattled off 17 straight games to seal the match in 92 minutes.

The 109th-ranked Lorenzi, searching for his first win at a grand slam, battled gamefully from the baseline but Djokovic turned the match into a trick-shot clinic, flicking an attempted lob back through his legs before closing out the match with a delightful drop-shot.

Djokovic, the 2008 and 2011 champion, will face Colombia’s Santiago Giraldo in the second round.