Champion Djokovic cruises in U.S. opener

Novak Djokovic made an imperious start to the defense of his U.S. Open title, winning his opening match in only 73 minutes.

The world No. 2 thrashed 69th-ranked Italian Paolo Lorenzi 6-1 6-0 6-1 on Tuesday, winning 12 games in a row after being broken in his opening service game by the 30-year-old.

The Serbian will next face 112th-ranked Brazilian Rogerio Dutra Silva, who battled through with a five-set win.

"My game was great from the start to the end," said Djokovic, whose opponent was making his debut in the main draw of the season's closing grand slam.