Indian Wells (US),

(AFP),

Novak Djokovic shook off some rust and US qualifier Bjorn Fratangelo Saturday, opening his ATP Indian Wells Masters campaign with a 7-6 (7/5), 6-2 victory. The second-round clash was the world number one's first match since he won his seventh Australian Open title in January.

Djokovic went down an early break to the 128th-ranked Fratangelo, but leveled the set with a break for 5-5. He had to dig down again in the tiebreaker, taking a 4-1 lead before Fratangelo fought back to lead 5-4.

But Fratangelo coughed up a double fault and sent a forehand wide on his own serve and Djokovic was able to seal the set on his first opportunity when Fratangelo sent a forehand wide. From there Djokovic dominated, sealing the win after one hour and 29 minutes.

“To be honest, I was a bit nervous in the beginning, I didn’t play my best. Credit to Bjorn for coming out firing from every corner.

“I was lucky to get the first set. After that things went better for me,” said Djokovic, who dominated the second set to book a third-round meeting with German Philipp Kohlschreiber, a 6-4, 6-4 winner over Australian Nick Kyrgios.

PRAJNESH STUNS BASILASHVILI:

Indian qualifier Prajnesh Gunneswaran achieved the biggest win of his career when he stunningly knocked world number 18 Nikoloz Basilashvili out of 6-4, 6(6)-7, 7-6(4) continuing his dream run.

The world number 97 needed only a single break of serve to take the lead in the match. Prajnesh broke Basilashvili’s serve in the fifth game and then held his serve to take the opening set in 31 minutes.

KYRGIOS FALLS EARLY:

Australian Nick Kyrgios, coming off a scintillating run to the ATP title in Acapulco, lost his opening match to German Philipp Kohlschreiber. A break of serve in each set was enough to give Kohlschreiber, ranked 39th in the world a 6-4, 6-4 victory over 33rd-ranked Kyrgios.