Novak Djokovic looked rusty at times but the world number one got the job done against Gael Monfils on day one of the Mubadala World Tennis Championships.
It was far from vintage Djokovic but he ground out a 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 win over a spirited Monfils. The Frenchman has never beaten Djokovic on the main tour and it showed as he fell away in the decider after hitting a purple patch to take the second set.
"I was working on some things throughout the match," Djokovic said. "I was trying to find a good rhythm and I think I was playing really well for this stage. But I am not yet 100 per cent ready."
The good news for Djokovic fans is that he looks fit and refreshed after a five week break following the ATP World Tour Finals. He will get a much greater test of where his game is right now when he plays Roger Federer in Friday's semi-finals.
The other action on day one of the tournament saw David Ferrer hit back to claim a superb 2-6, 7-6, 6-2 win over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Tsonga reeled off four straight games to take the first set but he couldn't keep it up. Set two was closely fought but Tsonga slipped behind early in the tiebreak and despite a truly brilliant passing shot at set point down, he couldn't get back in it and Ferrer was always in control in the decider.
