Novak Djokovic of Serbia makes backhand return to Slovenias Aljaz Bedene during their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday. AP
MELBOURNE — Novak Djokovic began his quest for a fifth Australian Open title with a 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 win over Aljaz Bedene of Slovenia in a first-round match Tuesday.
Djokovic, who said he had flu symptoms on the weekend, showed no apparent signs of illness in dominating the 116th-ranked Bedene.
Djokovic won his first major at the Australian Open in 2008 and then for three years in a row from 2011 to 2013. He was beaten in the quarterfinals last year by eventual champion Stan Warwinka, ending a streak of 14 consecutive semifinal appearances in majors and a 25-match winning streak in Melbourne.
Bedene received treatment at the end of the third game of the third set for an apparent right hip injury.
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