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Sloppy Djokovic survives Malisse scare

Novak Djokovic was right to predict he wouldn't be at 100% in Switzerland © Getty Images

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World No. 1 Novak Djokovic looked rusty on his return to action at the Swiss Indoors - but battled through a testing period to defeat Xavier Malisse in three sets.

Playing for the first time since succumbing to a back injury during a Davis Cup rubber in September, Djokovic triumphed 6-2 4-6 7-5 in two hours and 12 minutes.

The victory extends his season record to 65-3 as he bids to sign off in style on a glorious year that has seen him lift three grand slam titles.

He picked up where he left off pre-injury at the start of the first, romping into a 3-0 lead before claiming another break to move one set ahead. But Djokovic warned before the tournament that he did not expect to play at 100%, and he was proved right during an uncharacteristically error-strewn second frame.

Finding the target with just 48% of his first serves, Djokovic surrendered a break - and was unable to hit back, allowing Malisse to force a deciding set. The Serb soon snapped out of his slump and recaptured the level he showed at the start, storming into a 5-2 advantage - but he seemed to let complacency creep in, and soon it was 5-5.

Djokovic came again, digging into his reserves of champion spirit, and finally stumbled over the line by winning the next two games.

Elsewhere at the tournament, fifth seed Mardy Fish lasted just one game of his match against James Blake before retiring with a hamstring injury. Home favourite Stanislas Wawrinka produced a service masterclass to sink Ivan Dodig 6-4 6-4.

Fourth seed Tomas Berdych was stunned 3-6 6-3 6-2 by world No. 32 Kei Nishikori, who also won the only previous meeting between the players.

At the Valencia Open, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga beat Javier Marti 4-6 7-5 6-2 to move five points behind sixth-placed Berdych in the year-to-date rankings, which determine qualification for the ATP World Tour Finals later this month.

Elsewhere, top seed and defending champion David Ferrer strolled past countryman Fernando Verdasco 6-3 6-2 to move closer to a third title of the year. Seventh seed Alexander Dolgopolov will play no further part, however, after falling to a 6-3 6-4 reverse against Marcel Granollers.

Fourth seed Nicolas Almagro was another high-profile casualty, losing 6-4 3-6 6-4 to Juan Monaco.

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