nWorld number one Novak Djokovic shook off a nervy start to dispatch US qualifier Bjorn Fratangelo in straight sets on Saturday to reach the third round of the ATP Indian Wells Masters.
Djokovic, playing his first match since winning a record seventh Australian Open title in January, was less than sharp in conceding an early break to his 128th-ranked rival.
He broke back as Fratangelo served for the set to knot it at 5-5, and then raced to a 4-1 lead in the tiebreaker.
Djokovic had to dig deep, however, when Fratangelo battled back to lead the tiebreaker 5-4.
After a double fault and a forehand error from the 25-year-old American, Djokovic suddenly had a set point, and once he'd pocketed the set, the second went all his way.
Djokovic, currently tied with Roger Federer on five wins in the California desert, can also tie world number two Rafael Nadal's record of 33 Masters 1000 titles.
Djokovic next faces German Philipp Kohlschreiber, a 6-4, 6-4 winner over Australian Nick Kyrgios.
Kyrgios, seeded 31st, was coming off a scintillating run to the Mexico Open title in Acapulco, where he defeated Nadal, ninth-ranked John Isner and, in the final, third-ranked German Alexander Zverev.
As men's seeds swung into action after first-round byes, third-seeded Zverev advanced when Slovakian foe Martin Klizan retired with an ankle injury with the German leading 6-3, 2-0.
Action opened on stadium court with 18-year-old Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime powering past Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas, 6-4, 6-2, for his first win over a top-10 player.
In a battle of two ATP young guns, 58th-ranked Auger-Aliassime came out firing, and his aggression paid off with a victory over 20-year-old Tsitsipas, who shot to prominence with a victory over Federer at the Australian Open.
Auger-Aliassime, who next faces Japan's Yoshihito Nishioka, is one of four teens in the draw, along with countryman Denis Shapovalov, Alexei Popyrin and lucky loser Miomir Kecmanovic.
Kecmanovic gained entry into the second round in place of injured fifth-seed Kevin Anderson.
He made the most of his chance, beating Germany's Maximilian Marterer, 6-3, 6-2, to reach the third round.
At the other end of the age spectrum, 40-year-old Ivo Karlovic advanced with a 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) victory over 11th-seeded Croatian Borna Coric.
