Hat-trick seeking Novak causes racket Down Under

Novak Djokovic shelved the conventional preparations for a while, warming up for a shot at a third consecutive Australian Open title with a bit of weekend hit-and-giggle and a ‘Gangnam-Style’ dance with Serena Williams.

That was for kids’ day, when thousands of people flocked to the Rod Laver Arena to see Djokovic and Victoria Azarenka hitting in a just-for-fun match with players including past champions Roger Federer and Williams, a cast of human-sized cartoon characters and a marching band that played the tune to Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller.’

Come today, the No. 1-ranked Djokovic will be back to work, hoping his opener against Paul-Henri Mathieu is the first of seven matches this month at the venue where he’s had the most success in Grand Slam tennis.