Novak Djokovic walked onto Rod Laver Arena to cheers and fans singing his nickname, he walked off it, once again a dominant winner.

The Serbian star, who was absent last year after a COVID vaccine-related immigration battle with the Morrison government resulted in him being deported, showed he is back in a big way.

Fans who stuck around late into the night and early Wednesday morning to see their hero waved Serbian flags and sang "Nole, Nole, Nole" throughout as Djokovic flexed every muscle including his heavily strapped left hamstring in a stunning straight sets victory over Spanish world number 75 Roberto Carballes Baena.

The 6-3, 6-4, 6-0 scoreline in favour of the nine-times champion belied how close the match mostly was.

It was Carballes Baena who had the first big chance in the opening set, but with Djokovic down 0-40 at 2-all, the Spaniard could do little as Djokovic reeled off five straight points before telling the umpire he was leaving for the bathroom.

That was considered a no-no as the Serb did not have permission but he got back before time was called and continued on his way, breaking Carballes Baena that very game on a run of 11 straight points.

Those handful of games were absurd tennis from Djokovic before Carballes Baena and he took the opening set before Carballes Baena found his best tennis in the second set.

The Spaniard took it to Djokovic, who looked proppy on the left leg after chasing a drop shot early in the second set but he brushed it off as the two traded heavy and long groundstroke rallies.

The willingness to do so seemed to indicate the hamstring Djokovic injured in Adelaide might be ok after all.

And when Djokovic broke Carballes Baena in the seventh game of the second set it broke the Spaniard's resolve.

Djokovic took the second set and then raced through the third with confidence to round out a resounding return to Melbourne Park, which saw him thank the crowd for their support afterwards.

"Thank you for giving me such a welcoming and reception I could only dream of," Djokovic said.

"I am happy to be back in Australia where I had the biggest success in my career.

"This court is the most special court in my life."