ACAPULCO, Mexico — Former world No. 1 Novak Djokovic was made to work hard before finishing strongly to defeat Martin Klizan in straight sets on his return to competition at the ATP Acapulco event Tuesday.
Djokovic has not played since his shock second round exit at the Australian Open in January, and showed signs of ring-rustiness before defeating Klizan 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) before a raucous Mexican crowd.
“I wasn’t expecting an easy match, that’s for sure,” said Djokovic. “The field here is very strong and I got a collision in the first round against a guy who is well known for playing his best Tennis on the big stage.
“But all in all it was a good performance to win in straight sets. A tough second set but it’s exactly what I needed at this moment to test myself and my game and I’m looking forward to the next challenge.”
The 29-year-old Serbian started slowly and was forced to save two break points in the third game of the first set before hanging on for a 2-1 lead.
He had to save a further break point in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead but then swiftly punished world number 62 Klizan with a break to go 4-2 up.
The contest then went with serve as Djokovic claimed the opening set.
Klizan was soon in trouble in the second set as he suffered a break in the opening game before Djokovic held for 2-0.
That proved to be the cue for a mini-collapse, however, as Djokovic was broken twice and Klizan raced into a 4-2 lead.
But the 27-year-old Slovak’s composure deserted him and Djokovic broke back and held to level at 4-4.
The set went with serve to go into a tie-break and once again Djokovic’s superior experience of pressure situations told, Klizan snatching at a forehand that went long to give his opponent match point.
Djokovic duly sealed the win with a deft lob that left Klizan scrambling to return before finishing with a volley into an open court. Elsewhere Tuesday, another former world No. 1 Rafael Nadal eased into the second round with a straight sets victory over Germany’s Mischa Zverev.
Nadal took 1hr 17min to advance past the world No. 30 6-4, 6-3. Australia’s Bernard Tomic wilted in the sultry conditions against American Donald Young before retiring citing the heat.
Tomic lost the first set in a tie-break 7-6 (7/5) but then retired before the second set got under way.
Tomic’s fellow Australian Nick Kyrgios survived a scare in his opening round game before defeating Israel’s Dudi Sela in three sets, winning 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.
In other matches, third seed Marin Cilic advanced to the second round with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-0 win over Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine.
Sharapova handed wildcard in Rome
Five-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova has been given a wildcard to play in the Italian Open in May, organizers said Wednesday.The former world No. 1 makes her return to the circuit in Stuttgart in April after completing a 15-month ban for doping.
“We officially announce the wild card for the 3-time Rome champion @MariaSharapova into the main draw ... “ organizers announced on Twitter.
Sharapova hasn’t played on tour since testing positive for meldonium at the 2016 Australian Open. An initial two-year ban by the International Tennis Federation was reduced to 15 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The Rome tournament runs from May 15 to May 21.
She has also been handed a wildcard for the May 6-13 Madrid Open.
Svitolina pulls out
Top seed and defending champion Elina Svitolina withdrew from the Malaysian Open with a lower leg injury Wednesday, bringing her 13-match winning streak to a halt.
The Ukrainian world No. 10, who beat Caroline Wozniacki in Dubai last week to lift her second straight trophy, pulled out before her second-round match against Japan’s Nao Hibino.
Svitolina, 22, had needed treatment during her 6-2, 6-3 first-round win over Jang Su-Jeong of South Korea — her 250th victory on the WTA tour. — Agencies
