MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Novak Djokovic got to charm a crowd after opening his Australian Open title defense with a straight-set win over French veteran Jeremy Chardy. He says he has a “love affair” with the court where he’s won eight major titles. The 15,000-seat Rod Laver Arena arena was about one-third full for the night match — way down for a Djokovic’s matches. But he says it’s the biggest crowd he’s played for in 12 months because of the COVID-19 pandemic and he’s he’s “really … really, really grateful for the support.” Serena Williams raced through her opening match in a Flo-Jo-inspired catsuit.
