Djokovic survives Kohlschreiber scare in Monte Carlo

Serb secures 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 win over German opponent in second round

MONTE CARLO: Novak Djokovic was severely tested before securing a 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 win over Philipp Kohlschreiber to survive his opening match at the Monte Carlo Masters on Tuesday.

The winner of the last three Grand Slams made eight double faults, dropped serve four times and smashed a racquet after losing the second set to his German opponent in the second-round encounter.

The world number one was relieved to avoid defeat in his first match of the clay season.

"It was a difficult match, there were lots of breaks (a run of eight straight during the second and third sets)," Djokovic said. "There were lots of ups and downs. It was not the prettiest of matches. He played well, but a win is a win. This was a tough first match of the clay season. I had to figure out how I needed to move, this kind of match can be expected. It was probably good for me to spend so long on the court."

Djokovic was able to avoid a second straight loss to Kohlschreiber after the 35-year-old beat him last month in the Indian Wells third  round.

Djokovic, who lives in the Principality, is playing his 'home' event for the 13th time in 14 years, winning it in 2013 and 2015 and losing in the final on two other occasions.

Kohlschreiber lost his 12th match from 13 played against top-ranked opponents, but gave as good as he got against an out-of-sorts Djokovic, who needed five match points to go through.

Argentine Guido Pella dealt a second-round blow to seventh seed Marin Cilic, beating the Croatian 6-3, 5-7, 6-1.

Defeat in just over two hours left 2014 US Open winner Cilic with just one win from six matches since January's Australian Open, where he went out in the fourth round.

Pella, who won his first career match at the event in the first round on Sunday, emerged a winner as he played on the idyllic centre court for the first time.

"This is my best surface, I knew I had chances," the world number 35 said. "But I had to play well.