Novak Djokovic made a winning return following a month-long injury layoff, beating Fabio Fognini 6-3, 6-3 Tuesday in the second round of the Shanghai Masters. Djokovic hadn't played a match since losing to Stan Wawrinka at the US Open, pulling out of last week's China Open with an elbow injury. The top-seeded Serb was rusty in his comeback in Shanghai — double-faulting four times and making 18 unforced errors with only 13 winners — but he had no trouble dispatching an even more erratic Fognini, who racked up 40 unforced errors of his own. In other matches, former US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro faded down the stretch against 11th-seeded David Goffin, dropping serve in the 11th game of the third set and losing 4-6, 6-3, 7-5. The Argentine, on his own comeback from a series of career-threatening wrist injuries over the past several years, was trying to maintain the momentum that saw him win the Olympic silver medal in Rio de Janeiro and reach the US Open quarterfinals last month. Nick Kyrgios made a quick turnaround after capturing his third title of the year at the Japan Open Sunday, defeating Sam Querrey 6-4, 6-4. Two other seeded players fell in the first round — No. 10 David Ferrer, who lost to Feliciano Lopez 7-6 (3), 4-6, 7-6 (4), and No. 14 Richard Gasquet, who was beaten by Grigor Dimitrov 6-4, 6-4. Dimitrov is coming off a runner-up finish at last week's China Open. Bernard Tomic retired from his match against 15th-seeded Roberto Bautista Agut while trailing 6-3, 3-0 with an abdominal pain he said was exacerbated by his run to the China Open doubles final last week. Pain forces Zhang out In Beijing, Asian No. 1 Zhang Shuai crashed out of the Tianjin Open Tuesday in the latest home-turf blow to the Chinese star. Zhang withdrew from her match against unseeded compatriot Peng Shuai, who will proceed to the second round, without hitting a ball. "I have some pain in the waist and knee," the Tencent Sports website quoted her as saying at a press conference in the northern port city. The home soil loss is Zhang's second in a week after she was defeated in the quarterfinals of Beijing's China Open. In another Tianjin upset, the US' Shelby Rogers, ranked 66, despatched Russia's third-seeded world No. 19 Elena Vesnina 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 in a tight match. Puerto Rico's Monica Puig saw off Japan's Kurumi Nara in a swift two-set victory. Meanwhile, the US's Alison Riske beat Tímea Babos of Hungary 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 to secure a second-round berth. Nishikori, Raonic to play Brisbane Defending champion Milos Raonic and world No. 4 Kei Nishikori will use the Brisbane International as a warm-up event for the Australian Open in January, organizers said Tuesday, rounding out a strong men's field. The pair join Swiss world No. 3 Stan Wawrinka and 14-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal at the event from Jan. 1-8, along with 10th ranked Dominic Thiem. The top women's player Angelique Kerber will also play the year-opening tournament, with French Open champion Garbine Muguruza also confirmed in the WTA draw. Sharapova returns to court Maria Sharapova returned to the tennis court for two exhibition matches Monday, her first appearance since testing positive for the banned substance meldonium at the Australian Open in January. The Russian former world No. 1 played at the World Team Tennis "Smash Hits" event in Las Vegas, which raises money for the Elton John Aids Foundation. Sharapova partnered American Taylor Johnson and lost her first match to Martina Navratilova and Liezel Huber. "It's very special to be back on the court," she told reporters before the match. "It's been about seven months since I've played in front of spectators and played in a stadium environment. Obviously, very thankful for the invitation, happy to be part of this cause.
