Melbourne, Australia – Bidding to win his third straight round match Tuesday at the Australian Open.
The 24-year-old Serbian lost two of the first three games against Italy's Paolo Lorenzi, then won 17 in a row to finish off a commanding 6-2, 6-0, 6-0 win in the season's first grand slam event.
Djokovic, of course, began his star-making 2011 season with a victory at the Australian Open, finishing the year with a 70-6 record. He won every match he played between Melbourne and when Roger Federer knocked him out in the semifinals of the French Open.
Still, Djokovic bounced back to win Wimbledon and the U.S. Open and owns four career grand slam titles.
He fired four aces and 22 winners Monday against the overmatched Lorenzi, who committed 30 unforced errors and won just 56 percent of his first serves at Melbourne Park.
Djokovic is trying to become only the fourth player on the men's side to win three or more Australian Open titles. He captured his first in 2008. He moved on to face Santiago Giraldo in the second round.
Andy Murray, who lost in straight sets to Djokovic in last year's Australian Open final, was also in action Tuesday against American Ryan Harrison.
Among the other top seeds playing Tuesday, No. 5 David Ferrer was a 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 winner over Rui Machado.
Former champions Rafael Nadal, the No. 2 seed, and the third-seeded Federer were among the first-round winners on Monday.
