Australian Open 2012 live stream

As tennis journeyman/would-be rapper Vince Spadea once prophesised, “Novak’s back”. Yes indeed he is.

bet365 is live streaming all Australian Open 2010 games - Go to bet365 > Live Streaming > Tennis to watch a live stream

Novak Djokovic, the world No.3, returned to Rod Laver Arena on Thursday – his first appearance in 2010 on the court that he says holds the best memories for him.

It’s also the same court that turned into an oven last year, causing the Serbian to retire during his quarter-final match against Andy Roddick, a withdrawal that ended his title defence.

On Thursday, however, it was the scene of his second-round 3-6 6-1 6-1 6-3 win over unheralded Swiss Marco Chiudinelli, who dispatched Australian Marinko Matosevic in the first round to set up a play date with the Djoker.

Unfortunately for the Swiss, Djokovic was not clowning around.

In the pair’s first meeting, Chiudinelli showed some impressive form in the first set as the two players felt each other out early on.

Despite calling for a trainer to take a look at what appeared to be a blister on his racquet hand, Chiudinelli took it up to outright favourite Djokovic and took risks at every possible opportunity.

It paid off. Chiudinelli’s deep ground strokes drew repeated errors from Djokovic’s racquet as the world No.58 frustrated his higher-ranked opponent. This is only the second time 28-year-old Chiudinelli has played in the main draw here, and the first time he has made it to the second round.

The Swiss weathered a Djokovic break in the fifth game to break back in the sixth and eighth games, as he built a commanding lead. But it would take Chiudinelli four attempts to close out the set. With an easy backhand volley beckoning, the world No.58 nervously sprayed it wide.

Meanwhile, a frustrated Djokovic gesticulated wildly, shouted out to either his corner or himself, and threw his racquet on the ground, drawing a round of “oohs” from the Rod Laver Arena crowd.

Drawing on countryman Roger Federer’s trademark calm, Chiudinelli managed to compose himself enough to serve out the set with an ace as a frustrated Djokovic stalked off court with his battered and bruised racquet.

“I was frustrated, especially at start of the match, because he was really giving it to me. He was very aggressive and stepping in and using every opportunity that has been given to him,” said Djokovic after the match.

“So automatically I just became too defensive and didn't really make too much. [I was] just waiting for his mistakes. That was a little issue there, but I managed to make that transition from being defensive to being offensive.”

The second set, however, would prove to be far more to the 2008 champion’s liking.

Facing two break points on his serve in the third game, Djokovic played patient tennis and defended them both. He went on to win the game – which the Swiss should have wrapped up – with a dive-bombing double-handed backhand passing shot that left a disappointed Chiudinelli stranded at the net.

From this point on, it was one-way traffic as the Serbian’s game got on a roll. Djokovic started to find the lines instead of the net as he won the set 6-1 to level the match at one set apiece.

The third set followed a similar script to the second as Djokovic showed Chiudinelli a few of his favourite moves. Djokovic replaced frustration with consistency and looked more like a potential threat to the title with each game.

Not even a medical time-out for Chiudinelli to have his right foot looked at could disrupt Djokovic’s concentration.

The Serbian soon had the third set in the bag 6-1, finishing with a perfectly-placed backhand volley as he asserted his control over the match.

The fourth set saw Chiudinelli put up more of a fight as Djokovic suffered a brief lapse of concentration. But in the end, Djokovic was simply too strong and too polished as he bounced the Swiss out of the tournament.

Following the match, Djokovic wasn’t completely satisfied with the way the match played out.

“There are some things that I obviously have to improve in order play better. But, you know, the opening rounds, especially at [the] Australian Open, are where a lot of surprises happen.”
For Djokovic, the question now is whether he can repeat his heroics of 2008.

“I always try to have the highest possible ambitions, and that's to win the tournament. But I'm well aware of the, you know, quality of the other players. Of course, some of the other players have probably more expectations than me to win the title. That's normal.

“But I try not to put too much pressure on myself ... I'm just trying to focus on my own matches put [in] the best possible effort. Then I believe the results will come.”