Viktor Troicki made a strong start to his Thailand Open in Bangkok as he saw off Marco Chiudinelli in straight sets, dropping just four games.
Troicki was part of the victorious Serbian Davis Cup team, who made their first final in their history, earlier this month.
But he was back in action and needed just an hour and four minutes to see off Swiss opponent. The first four games went with serve as the two player traded blows from the baseline as they engaged in a series of long rallies.
But the breakthrough finally came for Troicki in the fifth game, converting on a second break point chance, to open up a 4-2 lead.
A second break of serve two games later was enough to seem him wrap up the opening set 6-3.
And his form improved as it was one way traffic in the second as Troicki opened up a 5-0 lead and looked to be closing in on a bagel set.
But Chidinelli managed to stop the rot and finally get the board. But it only delayed the inevitable as Troicki wrapped up the match in the next service game, wrapping up a good 6-3 6-1 win.
He will either face Jarkko Niemnen or wild card Danai Udomchoke in the second round.
Thiemo de Bakker, who is the sixth seed in Bangkok was also in first round action as he faced Spaniard Marc Lopez in the opening round.
It was Lopez who had the upper hand in the opening set as he led 5-2 but the Dutchman battled back to take it 7-5.
In the second the challenge from the Spaniard fell away as De Bakker raced through set to wrap up a 7-5, 6-0 victory.
He will now face Daniel Brands as he enjoyed a 6-4 6-4 win over Illya Marchenko.
Top seed Rafael Nadal gets his campaign underway later this week and he will face either Ruben Bemelmans or Frederik Nielsen.
Fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco is the second seed at the tournament and he also received a first round bye and with face either Benjamin Becker or Mischa Zverev in the second round.
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw
by Helen Earnshaw
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