Djokovic recovers after stuttering start in Monte Carlo Masters

Serbian star made to fight for victory against Russian qualifier Ivan Gakhov

Novak Djokovic after his straight-sets win against Ivan Gakhov in their second round match at the Monte Carlo Masters. Getty

Novak Djokovic had to fight his way into the third round of the Monte Carlo Masters after a 7-6(5), 6-2 victory against Russian qualifier Ivan Gakhov on Tuesday.

The world No 1, who had been forced to skip the Indian Wells and Miami tournaments because of his unvaccinated status, struggled to find his range on the Monte Carlo clay before hitting his mark.

Gakhov went for his shots and claimed the first service break to lead 4-3, only for the Serbian to break right back and take the opening set by winning the tiebreak 7-5.

Djokovic was unstoppable in the second set, leaving no chance of a comeback for his opponent.

"It was probably, if you can call it this way, an ugly tennis win for me today," Djokovic said in his on-court interview. "I haven't played my best, particularly in the first set. And I kind of expected that that was going to happen in a way with swirly conditions, a lot of wind today, changing directions.

"It's different practising and then playing an official match on clay, [where] I guess no two bounces are the same. It's always quite unpredictable what's going to happen. But all in all, I'm just pleased with the way I held my nerve I think in the important moments and I managed to clinch the two-set win."

Meanwhile, Andrey Rublev and Alexander Zverev both fought back from dropping a set to advance, while last year's runner-up Alejandro Davidovich Fokina fell at the first hurdle.

Fifth-seeded Rublev rallied from a set down to defeat Spaniard Jaume Munar 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 in their second-round tie.

Germany's Zverev made an indifferent start to his clay-court season before defeating Kazakh Alexander Bublik 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 in the first round.

But Spaniard Davidovich Fokina fell 6-2, 6-2 to ninth seed Karen Khachanov.

Rublev broke Munar's serve six times and hit 36 winners to win in two hours and 12 minutes.

"The feeling was, 'No way, I might be out in the first round of Monaco'," said Rublev, 25.

Alexander Zverev hits a backhand against Alexander Bublik. Getty

Zverev was finding his way back on clay for the first time since he retired in the French Open semi-finals last year against Rafael Nadal with a right ankle injury.

The 13th-seed took just under two hours to move past Bublik with 21 winners to nine unforced errors.

"It felt awful at times to be honest," Zverev said.

"It usually takes me five or 10 minutes to get used to a clay court, but this year was a bit different. I needed to get the injury out of my head. I needed to get used to sliding again.

"I have had two weeks of practice now. It is the most natural surface for me."