Djokovic kicks off title defence in style

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 today.

Updated on: Jan 17, 2012, 09:00:19 IST

Reuters | By HT Correspondent, Melbourne

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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.

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