Djokovic/Troicki Fall To Mektic/Peya In Miami Opener

Novak Djokovic missed last year’s Miami Open presented by Itau for the first time since his debut in 2006 due to an elbow injury. On Thursday, he marked his return as he stepped out on the doubles court with countryman Viktor Troicki. The Serbians took the opening set after rallying from 1-4 down to start the match, but ultimately fell to Nikola Mektic and Alexander Peya 4-6, 7-5, 10-3 after 83 minutes.

While Djokovic may have dropped his doubles opener, in singles he has been close to invincible at this ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament, winning 16 straight matches and 30 of the past 31. He opens his campaign for a record seventh Miami title on Friday against Frenchman Benoit Paire.

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Mektic and Peya, finalists this year in Rio and Sofia, next play No. 2 seeds Henri Kontinen and John Peers. The reigning Nitto ATP Finals champions picked up their first match win since the Australian Open as they prevailed against Dutchmen Robin Haase and Matwe Middelkoop 6-3, 3-6, 10-6.

John Isner, who claimed the BNP Paribas Open title last week alongside Jack Sock, teamed up with another American, Donald Young, for a 6-4, 7-6(1) win over Kyle Edmund and Nenad Zimonjic. Sock is playing with Nicholas Monroe this week.