Harpreet Seehra
Elite
Roger Federer began his quest for a fifth Swiss Indoors title with a 7-6 (7-3) 6-4 first-round victory over Italy's Potito Starace in his home town of Basle.
Third seed Federer failed to fashion a break point on the Starace serve in the first set but swept through the tie-break and gained the crucial break at the start of the second to go through.
It was the world number four's first appearance since the Davies Cup in September after which he had a break to rest and address niggling injuries.
Eighth seed Viktor Troicki was upset 4-6 7-6 (10-8) 6-2 by Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis, who rallied to claim victory in a marathon clash lasting two hours and 43 minutes.
In the final first-round match of the day, Mikhail Kukushkin of Kazakhstan proved too strong for American Donald Young, winning 6-4 6-2 in one hour and 27 minutes.
Third seed Federer failed to fashion a break point on the Starace serve in the first set but swept through the tie-break and gained the crucial break at the start of the second to go through.
It was the world number four's first appearance since the Davies Cup in September after which he had a break to rest and address niggling injuries.
Eighth seed Viktor Troicki was upset 4-6 7-6 (10-8) 6-2 by Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis, who rallied to claim victory in a marathon clash lasting two hours and 43 minutes.
In the final first-round match of the day, Mikhail Kukushkin of Kazakhstan proved too strong for American Donald Young, winning 6-4 6-2 in one hour and 27 minutes.
