Internet Desk: World number two Novak Djokovic has started his Australian Open title defence with a straightforward victory 6-1, 7-6(7/4), 6-2 over Fernando Verdasco.
Last year, Verdasco took down Rafael Nadal in the first round but there was to be no repeat of his giant-killing efforts as Djokovic put his Spanish opponent in a one-set hole inside 14 minutes.
But Djokovic’s radar went walkabout in the second as Verdasco belted 16 winners to push the six-time champion to a tiebreak, which the Serb won 7-4 as he displayed his impressive defence-to-offence game.
The final set went about as expected as Djokovic ran home in 35 minutes.
It was a far cry from what was going on outside, where giant Croat Ivo Karlovic and Argentina’s Horacio Zeballos did battle for over five hours.
Karlovic, 37, went behind two sets to love but eventually triumphed 22-20 in a fifth set that, at 157 minutes, was longer than Djokovic’s entire match.
Karlovic, the oldest man in the top 100, sent down 75 aces in the marathon match.
The final score was 6-7(6/8), 3-6, 7-5, 6-2, 22-20 after five hours and 14 minutes on court 19.