Novak Djokovic of Serbia returns the ball during the first-round match of men's singles of Australian Open Tennis Championships against Hyeon Chung of South Korea at Melbourne Park in Melbourne www.wholesaleairmax90china.com , Australia, Jan. 18, 2016. Djokovic won 3-0. (XinhuaBai Xue)
by Callum Godde


MELBOURNE, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams began their Australian Open title defenses in flawless fashion, securing straight sets wins on the opening day of the Asia-Pacific Grand Slam.


Taking center stage on Rod Laver Arena (RLA), the world' s two best players and the two pre-tournament favorites, shined in typical Melbourne heat.


Confronted by one of the ATP tour' s biggest up-and-comers, South Korea' s Hyeon Chung wholesale air max 90 red , Djokovic barely broke out of first gear in his 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 first-round win.


The 10-time Grand Slam-winner, who unquestionably had his best year on tour in 2015, dominated in his first best-of-five sets match of 2016, seemingly breaking Chung' s serve at will.


It was a quick kill for Djokovic, finishing off the 52nd-ranked South Korean in a touch under two hours (115 minutes).


The Serbian showed why rivals such as Rafael Nadal and Australian Bernard Tomic have suggested only injury or a divine intervention can prevent the 28-year-old from capturing his sixth Australian crown.


Djokovic said it was great to be back in Melbourne, where he has snared half of his Grand Slam titles to date.


In his on-court interview on Monday wholesale air max 90 pink , the Serbian star described 2015 as the "best season" of his career, and put last year' s incredible form down to the birth of his first child.


Williams, the only player on earth to have had an equally dominant season, also sent a strong message to those in the women's draw.


Going into her eighth Australian Open, the 34-year-old quickly dispelled concerns that a niggling knee injury might impact her title defense.


Williams moved well around the court in her 6-4, 7-5 victory over Italian Camila Giorgi, who gave the six-time tournament winner a good work out in 35-degree Celsius heat.


Williams - who is aiming to become only the third female tennis player to collect 20 major championships, a feat only accomplished by Margaret Court and Steffi Graf wholesale off white x air max 90 , with another win in Melbourne - said her knee was fine.


"It's great. It was an hour and 43 minutes and I didn't feel it at all," Williams told reporters on Monday.


Earlier on RLA, two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova made light work of Thailand' s highest ranked female Luksika Kumkhun, who caused a shock upset against her more fancied opponent at the same event in 2014.


There would be no repeat of Kvitova' s untimely exit two years ago, as she cruised to a 6-3, 6-1 victory in an hour and 10 minutes.


The six-seed from Belarus showed no signs of the glandular fever that forced her to retire in the first round of the Shenzhen Open a fortnight ago.


Elsewhere, Australian Daria Gavrilova became the first local player to progress to the second round with a 7-6 [7-3], 6-4 win over Czech player Lucie Hradecka.


Recently wholesale air max 90 white , Gavrilova teamed up with fellow Australian Nick Kyrgios to clinch Australia' s first Hopman Cup win in 19 years.


"I was as nervous today as I was at (the) Hopman Cup," Gavrilova told reporters on Monday.


"All these matches mean a lot to me ... it was hard serving it out in the end. I got a bit nervous."


It was the 21-year-old' s first Grand Slam win on Australian soil since she secured citizenship in 2013.


The Russian-born world No. 39 said the home town support played a major part in her first win at the AO.


"It was amazing. Someone yelled out 'break here' and I actually did break the same game," she said. "I was like 'oh, thanks'."


Gavrilova will now face Kvitova in the second round.


Over on Hisense Arena, Japan' s Kei Nishikori easily accounted German Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-4, 6-3, 6-3, in what many considered a danger game for Asia' s highest ranked player.


Other top players to steamroll into the second round with straight sets wins included: Agnieszka Radwanska (6-2 wholesale air max 90 black , 6-3), Tomas Berdych (6-4, 6-3, 6-3) and Carla Suárez Navarro (7-5, 6-4).