Rome - Recovering Novak Djokovic received the tonic only a win can bring as he bolted into the third round of the Rome Masters on Wednesday, 6-4, 6-0 against Belgian Steve Darcis. The world number three stepped onto a court for the first time since controversially quitting his Monte Carlo semi-final against Roger Federer almost a fortnight ago.
The Serb claimed an infection had worn him down, but copped massive criticism for bailing out before the finish of the match.
Australian Open winner Djokovic was only lightly tested in 72 minutes against the 46th-ranked Darcis, who claimed the Memphis title in February.
"I'm satisfied with this match," said Djokovic, who debuted with a Rome quarter-final in 2007. "The first one is always tough and the courts are slow.
"Winning in two sets is good. I have always played well in Italy. I want to be number one this season, and I think it's not impossible."
While the man who has held that position for four years, Roger Federer, trained prior to his Thursday third-round date, hot favourite and three-time champion Rafael Nadal was due on court against fellow Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero later Wednesday.
Nadal stands 17-0 in Rome and is on a clay-court tear after winning 103 of his last 104 matches on the surface.
He is bidding for a fourth title in succession at Rome to go with the pair of "pokers" he has earned in the past two weeks in Monte Carlo and Barcelona.
Czech Radek Stepanek sprang a surprise on Barcelona finalist David Ferrer, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1, to stretch the Spaniard's Rome losing streak.
The defeat was the third in a row at the Foro Italico for the fifth seed, who has not won at the venue since a 2005 semi-final.
Spaniard Nicolas Almagro upset erratic seventh seed David Nalbandian, dispatching the Argentine 6-4, 7-5.
