Novak Djokovic began his bid for a record seventh Australian Open title in emphatic fashion yesterday, crushing 230th-ranked American Mitchell Krueger to set up a showdown with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

The World No. 1 had reached the Australian Open second round for 13 consecutive years and that streak was never threatened by the qualifier, who caved in 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 on Rod Laver Arena.