Serbia took a 1-0 lead over Canada in their Davis Cup semi-final after Novak Djokovic beat Vasek Pospisil 6-2 6-0 6-4 in the opening singles rubber on Friday.

Roared on by a partisan home crowd in the Belgrade Arena, world number one Djokovic strolled to victory in one hour and 44 minutes to put 2010 winners Serbia in the driving seat.

The 26-year old from Belgrade looked a little weary in the first three games after a long-haul flight from New York following his US Open final defeat by second-ranked Rafael Nadal, but it was one-way traffic once he found his feet on the indoor red clay surface.

A small but vociferous band of visiting fans, sporting several large Canadian flags, cheered every winning shot Pospisil could muster but it was the home crowd who were on song after Djokovic wrapped up the match when Pospisil slammed a forehand into the net.

Janko Tipsarevic, who returned to the Serbian squad for the tie after a 16-month absence from the Davis Cup, faces big-serving world number 11 Milos Raonic in Friday's other singles.

The winners will play either holders Czech Republic or Argentina in the Nov. 15-17 final.

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