Djokovic leads seeds into second round

By Bill Scott Jan 17, 2012, 7:45 GMT

Melbourne - Novak Djokovic began his 'official' 2012 season with a with comfortable 6-2, 6-0, 6-0 Australian Open defeat of Italian Paolo Lorenzi while Top 5 rivals Andy Murray and David Ferrer followed suit on Tuesday.

Air temperatures were a sweltering 36 Celsius with an unpredictable wind making life on court a challenge as the first round concluded at Melbourne Park,

Fourth seed Murray, trying to win his first career Grand Slam title after losing the last two Melbourne finals, posted a hard-fought win over young-gun American Ryan Harrison 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2.

Spain's fifth-seeded Ferrer reached the second round as he handled Rui Machado of Portugal 6-1, 6-4, 6-2.

Djokovic, winner of 10 titles from 11 finals last season, fired 22 winners and had just 13 unforced errors in the rout over the number 109.

'I decided not to play the opening week of the year (he did play the unofficial Abu Dhabi exhibition from December 29-31) in order to get ready well for Melbourne,' said Djokovic. 'I'm satisfied with the overall performance today.

'It took me a couple games to get into the right rhythm in difficult conditions. It was really the hottest day since I've arrived here, so I was trying to get used to that. But I played well after the first set.'

Murray had a battle with Harrison before gaining control after more than three hours on court. 'He came out playing great tennis, I had to come back from the second set,' said fourth seed Murray. 'I expected a tough match and that's what I got.

'I played better at the end. It was good to get through today.'

Two more men's seeds moved through, with number nine Janko Tipsarevic beating Russian Dmitry Tursunov 5-7, 7-6 (14-12), 6-3, 6-4 and 14th-ranked Gael Monfils eliminating Australian Marinko Matosevic 7-6 (7-5), 6-3, 6-3.

Women's Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, the unassuming second seed and contender for a possible takeover of the WTA top ranking from Caroline Woznaicki, went about her business with efficiency in a hammering of Russian Vera Dushevina 6-2, 6-0.

'After slow beginning it was fine,' said Kvitova. 'I can improve for sure my serve. The score looks easy, but it wasn't. Some games were very close. I'm glad that I'm through.'

Former champion Maria Sharapova was even more brutal, allowing outclassed Argentine Gisela Dulko just one game in a demolition which lasted for less than an hour.

Sharapova showed absolutely no signs of the ankle injury which prevented her from starting her season a fortnight ago in Brisbane.

'I could have gone into Brisbane, and maybe not be a hundred per cent tennis ready, but I want to come into the Grand Slam with a few matches,' said Sharapova.

'I couldn't wait to start. It feels like forever since I've been in a match where I feel pretty good physically. It's just nice to go out and know that you're going to compete again at such a high level in front of so many people, especially a place where I've won before.' The loss left Dulko 3-14 against top five opponent as she went down to Sharapova for the third time in four meetings.

US-based Russian Sharapova won the last of her three Grand Slam titles in Melbourne in 2008 before descending into several seasons of struggle with a shoulder injury.

Australian Samantha Stosur fell flat as the US Open winner was drummed out by Romanian Sorana Cirstea 7-6 (7-2), 6-3 in a home embarrassment for the sixth seed.

Home pressure was to blame for Stosur's boilover. 'Extremely disappointed.

'It was certainly not the way that I wanted to end this tournament and the whole summer,' said the 28-year-old sixth seed. 'There's not any other word for it but a total disappointment.

'It was one of those matches where I wasn't taking charge. She was playing super aggressive. She would either hit great balls, especially at the start, or could miss by a long way.'

Four more seeds advanced, with wins for number seven Vera Zvonareva, number nine Marion Bartoli, German 14th seed Sabine Lisicki, and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, the number 15.