Djokovic survives first-round challenge

BASEL, Switzerland, Nov. 1 (UPI) -- Novak Djokovic struggled to outlast Belgian Xavier Malisse in an opening-round match Tuesday at the Basel Indoors event.

Top-ranked Djokovic, returning after a six-week absence with a back injury, needed 2 hours, 13 minutes to down Malisse 6-2, 4-6, 7-5 at St. Jakobshalle.

The Australian Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open winner -- who fell in last year's Basel final to Swiss home crowd favorite Roger Federer -- improved to 65-3 on the year with the victory.

American Mardy Fish, meanwhile, retired from his match against fellow U.S. player James Blake with a left hamstring injury.

The fifth seed exited after winning the first game of the opening set. Fish was hoping to cement his spot in the season-ending ATP World Tour Finals.

Also emerging with wins Tuesday in Basel were Finn Jarkko Nieminen, who outlasted Brazil's Thomaz Bellucci 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 6-3; and Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka, who defeated Croat Ivan Dodig 6-4, 6-4.

Nieminen now goes on to face the third-seeded Federer.