Novak Djokovic was pushed by Aleksandar Vukic but held on to win his first match back in Indian Wells after a five-year absence on Saturday, as he looks to capture a record sixth title in the California desert.
The world number one has not competed at the tournament since 2019 as he was unable to enter the U.S. due to travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, but he received a warm welcome from the fans on hand for the 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 victory.
"It certainly does feel like home," Djokovic said in an on-court interview.
"Five years is a very long time for a tennis player. They call this tournament Tennis Paradise for a reason. It's so amazing to be part of it as a player and a fan. There's a great community, great culture, great love for the sport."
In his first match since falling in the Australian Open semi-finals to eventual champion Jannik Sinner in January, the top-seeded Serbian looked fresh, breaking serve in the opening game and capturing the first set with an ace.
The unseeded Australian found the range with his powerful forehand in the second set and finally broke serve when Djokovic's backhand up the line narrowly missed its target.
Vukic fended off three break points in the next game for a 3-0 lead, but Djokovic would break back with an exquisite drop shot volley to break back and hold serve for 3-3.
But Djokovic's 12th unforced error of the set brought up set points, and Vukic hammered a stunning return winner to send the match to a third set.
In the decider, Djokovic crushed a forehand of his own that Vukic could not put back into play for a break and 3-2 lead he would not relinquish, hitting a lob Vukic could not handle on match point to advance to the third round.
Earlier, American Taylor Fritz put on a serving clinic to beat Alejandro Tabilo 7-6 (2), 6-2 in their second round contest.
The 2022 champion never faced a break point and crushed down his 14th ace on match point to beat the Chilean under sunny desert skies before a crowd supporting the San Diego native.
"It's unreal," Fritz said on centre court after the win.
"I was coming to this tournament as a kid for a long time and this is my favourite stop of the whole year, just to hear the crowd and the support when I walk out is incredible."
Tabilo served well in the opener and the tight first set was ultimately settled in a tiebreak where Fritz made the most of his opportunities.
"I got some looks at second serves in the tiebreaker," Fritz said. "Then in the second set I started finding my rhythm, returning serve a little bit better."
Canadian Milos Raonic withdrew ahead of his second round clash with seventh seed Holger Rune due to a calf strain.
The former world number three was forced to withdraw from the Australian Open and Rotterdam with injuries in what has been a tough start to the year for the 33-year-old.
Former champion Cameron Norrie, French teenager Arthur Fils and Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov all progressed in straight sets to reach the third round.
Gauff, Sabalenka survive; Osaka advances
Aryna Sabalenka saved four match points in the third set and needed four match points of her own in the deciding set tiebreak to overcome American Peyton Stearns 6-7(2) 6-2 7-6(6) in a thrilling second-round clash at Indian Wells on Saturday.
Stearns was on the brink of the biggest win of her career when she led the reigning two-time Australian Open champion 5-4 40-0 in the third set with most of the 16,000 fans packed into Stadium Court behind her.
But the world number two came up with some gutsy returns to stay in the match and, even after appearing to hurt her ankle late in the final set, stayed aggressive in the tiebreak to book a third-round meeting with Emma Raducanu.
"Wow, she's an unbelievable player and she played crazy tennis," Sabalenka said of Stearns.
"At the net she said, 'I had you,' and she's right. I was probably just a little bit lucky to get this win. Super happy to get through this tough match."
Coco Gauff overcame a 5-2 third-set deficit against unseeded Frenchwoman Clara Burel to emerge with a hard-fought 2-6, 6-3, 7-6( 4) victory on Saturday and reach the Indian Wells third round while fellow American Jessica Pegula crashed out of the tournament.
Third-seeded Gauff came out tight, spraying errors around the court and double faulting on two break points in a poor first set that Burel wrapped up with an unreturnable serve.
The US Open champion stepped up her serving in the second set and moved into the court to take time away from her opponent, using her speed to race down a drop shot and level the contest at a set apiece.
Burel refused to go away under sunny skies in the California desert, however, breaking for a 2-0 lead when Gauff's forehand sailed long.
Gauff wasted two break points in the next game and was broken again as Burel suddenly found herself leading 4-0 in the third.
Serving for the match up 5-3, it was 44th-ranked Burel's turn to tighten up, and Gauff pounced on her short balls and tentative serves.
Gauff stayed aggressive in the tiebreaker, sealing the win after a long rally ended with Burel misfiring wide to the delight of the crowd on centre court.
"I'm happy with the mental fight," Gauff said. "It wasn't my best tennis, but it's not about how you show up on your good days, it's how you show up on your bad ones and I'm happy with how I showed up today."
Gauff will face Lucia Bronzetti in the third round after the Italian beat Anhelina Kalinina 6-3, 6-4.
Gauff's doubles partner and fifth seed Pegula was unable to stage a comeback of her own against Anna Blinkova, falling 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.
Pegula had beaten Blinkova in three sets at the San Diego Open last week, and it was the Russian who returned the favour thanks to some outstanding serving.
Emma Raducanu advanced to the third round after Dayana Yastremska was forced to retire with an injury from their match while trailing 4-0 in the first set.
The pair exchanged a hug at the net and the British wildcard applauded the 30th-seeded Ukrainian as she left the court.
Former U.S. Open champion Raducanu will next face Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka or American Peyton Stears.
Wimbledon champion and seventh seed Marketa Vondrousova also withdrew from the tournament on Saturday, citing personal reasons, sending Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk into the fourth round.
Naomi Osaka continued to build positive momentum after the 2018 champion dispatched 14th seed Liudmila Samsonova 7-5, 6-3 behind her powerful ground game.
A beaming Osaka waved to the crowd after sealing the win. The Japanese player, who returned in January after a maternity break, will next face 24th seed Elise Mertens in the third round.
