MONTE CARLO (AFP) – Novak Djokovic made a winning return to competition in the Monte Carlo Masters on Tuesday but was made to work by his 198th-ranked Russian opponent as two-time defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas advanced when his rival retired injured.
Djokovic is back on court after failing to get a waiver to enter the United States for last month’s Indian Wells tournament and Miami Open due to his anti-Covid vaccination stance.
The world number one was in danger of losing the opening set against Russian qualifier Ivan Gakhov before easing through 7-6 (7/5), 6-2 in 1hr 47min.
Favorite for a third crown in the Principality in the absence of Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz, Djokovic will face either 21st-ranked Lorenzo Musetti or Luca Nardi, 159th, both Italian, for a place in the quarter-finals.
Tsitsipas advanced to the third round after Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi retired with a left wrist issue after just 22 minutes, trailing the Greek 4-1 in the first set.
World number three Tsitsipas next meets either Chilean Nicolas Jarry, ranked 58, or Australian Alexei Popyrin, 94th, for a place in the quarter-finals.
Djokovic is tuning up for a 23rd Grand Slam bid at the French Open. But the game was not as easy as expected with Gakhov taking the first break to lead 4-3.
Djokovic broke back immediately, but could not prevent the tie-break which he wrapped up on his first set point.
Earlier Andrey Rublev and Alexander Zverev both survived dropping a set, but last year’s runner-up Alejandro Davidovich Fokina fell at the first hurdle.
Fifth-seeded Rublev, recipient of a first-round bye, rallied to beat Spaniard Jaume Munar 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 in their second-round tie.
German Zverev made a hesitant start to his clay-court season before seeing off Kazakh Alexander Bublik 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 in the first round.
