Australian Open: Novak Djokovic sears into second round alongside Dominic Thiem and Alexander Zverev

World No. 1 began his title defence with a straight-sets victory over Jeremy Chardy

Novak Djokovic in action in the first round of the Australian Open (Getty Images)

World No. 1 and defending champion Novak Djokovic thrashed Jeremy Chardy 6-3 6-1 6-2 in just one hour and 35 minutes on Monday to earn his place in the second round of the Australian Open.

The Serb broke the Frenchman's serve in the opening game to set himself on course for an effortless start to his title defence in Rod Laver Arena, with a 22-minute second set soon following before Djokovic wrapped up the win with his only match point not long thereafter.

Seventeen-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic, a record eight-time winner in Melbourne, is bidding to narrow the gap to Roger Federer – absent here for the first time in his career – and Rafael Nadal's equal hauls of 20 major trophies.

Elsewhere, last year's men's singles runner-up Dominic Thiem eased into the second round by securing a straight-sets win over Mikhail Kukushkin.

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US Open champion Thiem, beaten by Djokovic at the final hurdle in Melbourne last season, got off to a perfect start in his bid to go one better at the year's first Grand Slam this year, requiring two hours and 42 minutes to defeat his Kazakh opponent 7-6 (2) 6-2 6-3.

Kukushkin twice broke the world No. 3's serve in the first set, the second break giving the world No. 90 a 5-6 lead. But Thiem levelled the frame to force a tiebreak, which he took relatively comfortably. The Austrian was broken again early in the second set in Rod Laver Arena but responded well and never looked back.

Meanwhile, Alexander Zverev – runner-up to Thiem in New York in September – fought back to overcome Marcos Giron in four sets.

Zverev, 23, surrendered the first set to the American 7-6 (8) in a lengthy tiebreak, but the world No. 6 fared better when the second frame went to a breaker, levelling the match. The German then tightened up to see out a 7-6 (8) 6-7 (5) 3-6 2-6 victory without giving up any more breaks of serve.

Elsewhere, homegrown maverick Nick Kyrgios recorded a comfortable 6-4 6-4 6-4 result against Frederico Ferreira Silva as the Australian took part in just his second tournament in the last 12 months, while 2014 Aussie Open winner Stanislas Wawrinka achieved a straightforward 6-3 6-2 6-4 victory over Portugal's Pedro Sousa.

Twenty-year-old 20th seed Felix Auger Aliassime eased to a 6-2 6-4 6-2 straight-sets win against Cedrik-Marcel Stebe of Germany.

Fifteenth seed Pablo Carreno Busta defeated 2014 US Open finalist Kei Nishikori 7-5 7-6 (4) 6-2, and 18th seed Grigor Dimitrov saw off  2014 US Open champion Marin Cilic 6-4 6-2 7-6 (5).

Milos Raonic, runner-up at Wimbledon in 2016, was a 6-3 6-3 6-2 winner against Federico Coria of Argentina, while 10th seed Gael Monfils crashed out in five sets, losing to Finland's Emil Ruusuvuori 6-3 4-6 5-7 6-3 3-6 in 3 hours and 49 minutes.

"I lost, I have zero confidence, I played badly," Frenchman Monfils told reporters after the match, holding back tears as his losing run continued.

"I cannot serve, I make mistakes ... I do not feel right and it shows."I know that I have lost a lot and it hurts me. I would like to wake up and tell myself that this nightmare is over, but I don't know when it will stop."I have no confidence, I have no confidence."

The first round continues on Tuesday.

Last year's Australian Open runner-up and 2020 US Open champion Dominic Thiem (AFP via Getty Images)

Other Australian Open first-round results (men's singles):

B Tomic def. Y Sugita 3-6 6-1 4-1 [W/O]

D Koepfer def. H Dellien 7-5 6-2 6-4

F Tiafoe def. S Travaglia 7-6 (5) 6-2 6-2

A Muller def. J Londero 4-6 6-3 6-0 6-3

J Vesely def. K Coppejans 4-6 6-3 7-6 (3) 3-6 3-6

U Humbert def. Y Uchiyama 6-3 6-4 6-7 (3) 6-3

J Duckworth def. D. Dzumhur 6-3 6-2 6-4

E Gerasimov def. B Paire 6-2 2-6 7-6 (5) 7-5

A Bublik def. A Bedene 6-4 7-5 5-7 6-4

M Kecmanovic def. K Majchrzak 6-2 6-4 6-3

A Karatsev def. G Mager 6-3 6-3 6-4

M Fucsovics def. M Polmans 4-6 6-3 6-1 7-6 (3) 6-3

P Martinez def. Y Nishioka 6-7 (3) 6-1 6-1 6-1

T Fritz def. A Ramos-Vinolas 7-6 (6) 3-6 6-2 7-6 (6)

A Bolt def. N Gombos 6-2 6-2 4-6 6-3

R Opelka def. Y Lu 6-3 7-6 (2) 6-3

C Moutet def. J Millman 6-4 6-7 (4) 3-6 6-2 6-3

A Mannarino def. D Novak 6-2 6-4 7-6 (2)

D Lajovic def. S Stakhovsky 5-7 6-4 6-3 5-7 6-4

M Cressy def. T Daniel 7-6 (1) 7-6 (3) 6-4