World No 3 Novak Djokovic got Serbia off to a winning start against Australia in a crucial Davis Cup World Group play-off here with a straight sets win over Peter Luczak. Playing for the first time since reaching the US Open final earlier this month, Djokovic was roared on to victory by a home crowd of 20,000 to defeat Luczak 6-1, 6-4, 6-2.
The 20-year-old Serb set the tone in the first set, losing only one point on serve and taking advantage of his superior return and dropshot to wrap up the first set in 35 minutes. But in the second set, the pair held serves comfortably until the ninth game, when a wicked bounce helped Djokovic to break the Australian before he sealed the set with a second service ace after 58 minutes.
World No 93 Luczak lost his opening service game in the third set and, after spurning four break points in the sixth game, was broken again in the seventh. After the change of ends, the hometown hero duly served out the match to chants of "Nole, Nole, Nole" echoing around the packed Beogradska Arena, which has been sold out for the three-day event.
"I was more nervous today than in the final of the US Open," Djokovic said. "It's different to play in the national team with the support of colleagues, family and all of you. "It's the first time that I've played in the 'Arena' in front of so many people," said the world No 3. In the match which lasted 2hr 24min, Djokovic served 14 aces, most of them coming on key points, compared with Luczak's four, while hitting 49 winners against the Australian's 30.
In Friday's second rubber, former world No 1 Lleyton Hewitt takes on Serbia's Janko Tipsarevic in a bid to level the best-of-five match tie. Hewitt and Djokovic will face each other in Saturday's doubles match, where they will partner Paul Hanley and Nenad Zimonjic, respectively, before going head to head in the reverse singles on Sunday. Australia, the second most successful nation in the Davis Cup with 28 titles, risk being knocked out of the prestigious competition's elite World Group stage for only the second time.