Djokovic returns from injury with win

Novak Djokovic marked his return from a right wrist injury by beating Czech veteran Radek Stepanek 6-3, 7-5 in the second round of the Italian Open.

With both new coach Boris Becker and long-time adviser Marian Vajda on hand, Djokovic showed no signs of pain after withdrawing from last week’s Madrid Open.

The second-ranked Serb’s only trouble came as he attempted to close the match out, dropping his serve twice late in the second set before eventually finishing it off.

Djokovic, a two-time Rome champion, committed just nine unforced errors to Stepanek’s 27.

In first-round women’s play, Italian wild-card entry Camila Giorgi upset ninth-seeded Dominika Cibulkova 6-4, 7-6 (2) and 10th-seeded Sara Errani of Italy eliminated Chanelle Scheepers of South Africa 7-5, 6-3.