DUBAI - Fourth seed Nikolay Davydenko overcame an early fright to beat France's Florent Serra 6-7 6-4 6-1 on Tuesday in an error-strewn first-round battle at the Dubai Championships.
Sixth seed Marin Cilic had an easier time, thriving in the sweltering conditions to power past Frenchman Arnaud Clement 6-2 6-4.
Fifth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga had just won the first set 7-6 when his opponent, fellow Frenchman and last week's Marseille Open winner Michael Llodra, pulled out with a hamstring injury.
Russian Mikhail Youzhny, the seventh seed, also defeated Slovak Lukas Lacko 6-7 7-6 6-1.
Davydenko, still struggling with a wrist injury suffered in Rotterdam this month, said he had been below par.
"Too many mistakes from me," the 28-year-old Russian told reporters. "I had so many chances (to) make a break in the second set and win maybe more easily."Cypriot tennis star Marcos Baghdatis is in the same tournament and after disposing eighth-seed Gilles Simon in the first round, will now take on surprise qualifier Indian qualifier Somdev Devvarman who beat Switzerland's Marco Chiudinelli 6-4 7-5 in the first round.