Djokovic begins bid for 50th title

DUBAI: Novak Djokovic returned to the tour after his historic triumph in Melbourne by beginning a bid for his 50th title with a surprisingly testing 6-4, 6-4 win over Canadian Vacek Pospisil.

The world number one was twice within a point of going 2-4 down in the second set against an opponent, ranked world 63, who hit freely, motivated by the chance of troubling someone who last month became the first man of the open era to win the Australian Open five times.