"I was really trying to focus on each game, not thinking about the end of the match," Djokovic said. "But the crowd got involved in the third set. It was great. We needed that. We needed that in the match. He started playing better. He started making some winners, some good shots."
Djokovic added: "I've been playing this well for a while this year. I have been playing some matches where I felt that I could not miss the ball. As a tennis player, as any athlete, when you're playing perfectly everything seems so good and you're so happy because that's exactly where you want your game to be, at the top, at the highest possible level.
"We're working hard each day. This is a tournament definitely where I want to perform my best, so I'm not underestimating any opponents. I'm taking seriously every single match I play, even though I'm expected to win most of them, especially in the opening rounds. But I try not to get relaxed. I try to get my job done as quickly as possible and save the energy for upcoming challenges."
When Berlocq finally won a game, he received a standing ovation from the crowd.
He went on to win one more but Djokovic provided the last moment of entertainment when he hit a "hot dog" shot between his legs to reach match point, a bemused Berlocq putting his subsequent volley into the net.
With the Irishman Conor Niland retiring with food poisoning in his first-round match against Djokovic, the 24-year-old Serb has lost just three games in the first two rounds.
"I've played a lot of matches this year, so I don't think I lack any time on the court," he said. "I just like the matches going this way."
Whether the fans in Arthur Ashe Stadium thought the same was another matter.
Djokovic's victory followed a similarly one-sided match between women's world No 1 Caroline Wozniacki, who lives next door to her male counterpart in Monte Carlo, and Arantxa Rus of the Netherlands. Wozniacki won 6-2 6-0.
Djokovic said: "One of the guys on the way out actually said to me: 'Hey, listen, I paid 100 bucks. You're staying an hour and a half on the court. That's a lot to pay for a ticket. Give me something so I get back home with a happy face. Give me a racket or something'."
It was Djokovic's 59th victory in 61 matches this year.
His only defeats were against Roger Federer in the semifinals of the French Open and against Andy Murray in the final of last month's Cincinnati Masters, when the Serb retired with a shoulder problem when trailing in the second set.
With Murray and Rafael Nadal in the other half of the draw - the Scot beat Robin Haase last night, while the Spaniard crusied past an injured Nicolas Mahut - Djokovic is on course for another semifinal showdown here with Federer.
They have met in the last four of two other Grand Slam tournaments this year, the Serb having beaten the Swiss on his way to the title in Melbourne before Federer earned his revenge in Paris.
Both contests were among the best matches of the year and followed a superb semifinal here 12 months ago, when Djokovic saved two match points before winning in five sets.
Federer is also looking in excellent shape here, having followed up his straight-sets victory over Santiago Giraldo in the first round with a 77-minute work-out against Israel's Dudi Sela.
Federer won 6-3 6-2 6-2 to claim his 225th victory at a Grand Slam tournament, which took him clear of Andre Agassi's total and left him just eight short of Jimmy Connors' all-time record.
Federer dropped only seven points on his serve in the whole match. Nevertheless, the former world No 1 should have a much harder challenge in the third round. Federer was due to play Croatia's Marin Cilic, who was expected to be tested by Bernard Tomic but beat the Australian teen 6-1 6-0 6-2 in 90 minutes. Cilic hit 34 winners to Tomic's nine and broke serve eight times.
- Independent
