World setter Novak Djokovic has competed sparingly for the past six months.
Because he did not get vaccinated for covid-19, he missed the Australian Open in spectacular form and the prestigious Indian Wells in the USA in March.
But in the ATP tournament in Monte Carlo, the Serb is back, his only second appearance in 2022.
Djokovic faced Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who won the first set 6-3.
The Spaniard, ranked 46th in the world rankings, then went up to 3-0 in the second set before Djokovic came to life, won five straight games and went up to a 5-4 lead.
And the second set was a thriller - a set that Djokovic finally took home after the tiebreak.
The third and decisive set was anything but a thriller.
Davidovich Fokina won 6-1 and thus advanced to the next round.
For Djokovic, the tournament in Monte Carlo ended immediately.
The next big tournament is the French Championships, which will be decided between May 22 and June 5.
The organizers have previously announced that Djokovic will be allowed to play as long as the corona situation is stable in France.