Novak Djokovic made a winning return nearly a month after suffering a wrist injury, starting the Rome Masters on a rainy Tuesday with a 6-3 7-5 defeat of Radek Stepanek.
The second-round victory after a bye was the first match for the world No.2 Serb since losing a Monte Carlo semi-final on April 19 to Roger Federer while suffering with his right wrist problem.
Djokovic, a two-time champion at the Foro Italico, was to have played last week in Madrid but held off.
The Serb, competing in Italy for an eighth straight year, won his 25th match in Rome against five defeats. Three of his losses have come against Rafael Nadal, the top seed bidding for an eighth trophy in the capital.
The end against Stepanek was a struggle, comprising four consecutive breaks of serve before Djokovic took victory with a service return winner out wide in gusting wind after 97 minutes.
“On clay, the wind comes in your eyes. I could not get any rhythm at all,” said Djokovic.
“Stepanek is a very experienced player and has such variety of shot.
“It was frustrating to lose serve twice in the second set, but I managed to go through in the end.”
Third-seeded Australian Open winner Stanislas Wawrinka won the first seven games in a defeat of Spanish qualifier Pere Riba 6-0 6-3 with the Swiss taking just 50 minutes to go through with 50 winners.
Federer will be back on court eight days after the birth of his twin boys Leo and Lenny as he competes.
“Since they were born last Tuesday, that gave me a better chance of playing Rome,” said the Monte Carlo finalist, who plays on Wednesday against France’s Jeremy Chardy.
“Of course I hope to win my first-round match but, at the moment, I have totally different priorities.”
Federer has lost three Rome finals, all three to Spaniards and the last two (2006, 2013) to Nadal. The top-seeded Spaniard is relishing one of the biggest annual changes on the clay when he starts three days after winning another the Madrid title.
“Yes it’s a big change (from Madrid altitude to sea-level Rome) but, when you are winning, it is a lot easier. You always need time to adjust.”
In men’s first-round play, a pair of Colombians both retired – Croatian Marin Cilic advanced over Santiago Giraldo 6-4 2-0 while Latvian Ernests Gulbis advanced 6-1 past Alejandro Falla.
German 15th seed Tommy Haas beat Andreas Seppi of Italy 6-1 4-6 6-3.
In the women’s first round, Camilla Giorgi of Italy upset ninth seed Dominika Cibulkova 6-4 7-6 (7-2), 10th seed Sara Errani beat South African Chanelle Scheepers 7-5 6-3 and 13th seed Carla Suarez Navarro defeated German Mona Barthel 6-2 6-2.
