LOS ANGELES (AP) — Top-ranked Novak Djokovic beat Mardy Fish in the American’s return to the court after a six-month absence caused by a heart condition in the inaugural Los Angeles Tennis Challenge exhibition.
The event, put together by Fish and retired player Justin Gimelstob, survived a broken net and the lights going out during a doubles match in which Djokovic and childhood idol Pete Sampras lost to the top-ranked team of Bob and Mike Bryan at UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion on Monday night.
Djokovic beat Fish 8-7 (7-2) two days after the Serb won the Dubai Championships. Fish has been off the ATP Tour since September and plans to return to competition at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif., starting later this week. Djokovic is headed to the desert, too.
