PARIS: Croatia's Marin Cilic marked his return from suspension with a hard fought three set victory over Dutchman Igor Sijsling at the Paris Masters on Monday.
Cilic, 25, currently ranked 47th in the world, tested positive for the stimulant nikethamide at the Munich Open in May and was banned for nine months by an independent tribunal in September.
However the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) reduced the ban to four months last Friday meaning the sanction expired one day later and allowed him to take his place in the tournament.
After dropping a tense opening set, Cilic bounced back to set up a matchup against world number five Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina with a 5-7, 6-1, 6-4 victory.
World number one Rafael Nadal who is not in action on Monday said he was pleased to see Cilic back on tour.
"One thing I can say is I'm happy to see Marin back on tour. He's a good guy and a great player.
"I don't know what happened but if he's back, it's because it's fair that he's back. That's all. I'm happy for that."
Also on Monday in a programme which featured only unseeded players, Spaniard Feliciano Lopez edged a fiercely contested match against Australian qualifier Bernard Tomic 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/1).
Lopez will now meet Stanislas Wawrinka with the Swiss seventh seed looking to wrap up his first ever appearance at the London Masters with a good run this week.
Wawrinka is battling with compatriot Roger Federer, and French duo Richard Gasquet and Jo-Wilfrid Tsonga for the final tickets to the eight-man tournament in the English capital.
Elsewhere, Jeremy Chardy became the first French player to fall by the wayside as he was well beaten 6-3, 6-4 by Czech Lukas Rosol, while his compatriot Adrian Mannarino also crashed out in a tough three set defeat against Colombian Santiago Giraldo 6-3, 2-6, 6-4.
Dutchman Robin Haase clinched the first set 10-8 in a tie-break before closing out his first round match 7-6, 6-3 over Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan.
Serena predicts even better years to come
Meantime, Serena Williams believes her best years may still be ahead of her after she ended 2013 in record-breaking style on Sunday in Istanbul.
The 32-year-old American successfully defended her WTA Championships title, beating Li Na, 2-6, 6-3, 6-0, to finish 2013 with a 78th victory against just four losses, and 11th title of the year.
Williams finished the campaign with prize money of $12,385,572, shattering the all-time women's record set last year by Victoria Azarenka, who won $7,923,920.
It's also the third-highest single season prize money total in tennis history, men's and women's -- only Novak Djokovic's 2011 and 2012 totals are higher.
She is the fourth player ever to win four or more titles at the season-ending event and the oldest champion.
Williams is also the first player to win 11 WTA titles in a season since 1997 when Martina Hingis won 12.
Worryingly for her flagging rivals, she now boasts a record of winning 32 of her last 34 matches against top five players.
Furthermore, Sunday's triumph may just persuade Williams that adding to her 17 Grand Slam titles during 2014 is certainly possible, and that winning another six, to overhaul Steffi Graf, might eventually come within reach too.
But Williams declined to say whether or not 2013 was her best year.
"I live to win Slams," she said.
"I am excited to win the WTA Championships, but I would say (this season is) only top three.
"I am not going to say that this is the best. I think some years I can do better and next year, I hope -- I look forward to it."
Williams, who will turn 33 next September, did agree, however, that she might reduce the number of tournaments on her schedule in 2014 after playing more than 80 matches this year.
"I think 15 is a bare minimum....definitely not more, maybe one or two fewer, maybe 13 or 14."
Williams had needed three sets to beat Jelena Jankovic in a draining semi-final on Saturday and was in trouble on Sunday at a set down and 3-3 in the second before she reeled off nine games in succession against her 31-year-old Chinese opponent.
"I've just had a really long year, and I'm just really excited, honestly. I really didn't expect to get through this match today," admitted the American.
Asked how she had managed to refuel after her exhausting near-disaster against Jankovic, Williams said: "My mum said maybe to get out of my room and have dinner.
"I didn't do treatment and that got my mind off tennis altogether and I think it helped."
As for Li Na, Williams said she felt some empathy.
"Li is older and adding some things to her game," she said. "And I definitely want to do the same."
