Cilic makes winning return

Croat wins his first match after completing a four-month ban for doping violation

In his first match since returning from a four-month ban following a failed doping test,Marin Cilic beat Dutch qualifier Igor Sijsling 5-7,6-1,6-4 Monday to reach the second round of the Paris Masters. The Croatian served 21 aces and hit 42 winners against Sijsling,who double-faulted to give Cilic a 4-3 lead in the deciding set. All the players,they know me and they were really happy to see me and they were really happy that this is over for me, Cilic said. Everybody knows it was like honest mistakes,and it can happen to really anyone.

Cilic tested positive for a banned stimulant in May but claimed he ingested it inadvertently through a glucose tablet bought at a pharmacy. The International Tennis Federation found traces of nikethamide in Cilics urine sample from a tournament in Munich,where he lost in the second round to fellow Croatian Ivan Dodig. When notified in June by the ITF of the positive test,Cilic accepted a provisional suspension. In September,the ITF hit Cilic with a nine-month ban back-dated to May 1. I would definitely say it was the worst time of my life to experience this as a player, Cilic said. It was extremely difficult situations where people were even calling me a doping player and a cheater.

The governing bodys anti-doping tribunal later said Cilic hid behind the excuse of a knee injury to withdraw from his second-round match against Kenny de Schepper at Wimbledon and avoid negative publicity after failing a doping test. My lawyers were put under pressure at that time and told me I have to pull out, Cilic said.

Reduced suspension

Cilic challenged his suspension at the Court of Arbitration for Sport and sought to prove he was not a cheat while the ITF appealed the verdict of its own independent tribunal and requested a two-year ban. Last Friday,the court reduced Cilics suspension from nine to four months,allowing him to compete at the Paris Masters.

Also on Monday,Kei Nishikori of Japan and Spaniards Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco won their first-round matches. Nishikori saved four break points in his 6-4,6-2 win over Julien Benneteau of France. Lopez outlasted Bernard Tomic of Australia 6-4,6-7 4,7-6 1.

Verdasco edged Ernests Gulbis of Latvia 7-6 3,7-6 5. Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany,Lukas Rosol of the Czech Republic,and qualifiers Robin Haase,Santiago Giraldo and Pierre-Hugues Herbert also advanced. Kohlschreiber beat Andreas Seppi of Italy 6-3,3-6,6-4,Rosol beat Jeremy Chardy of France 6-3,6-4,Haase of the Netherlands defeated Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan 7-6 8,6-3,Giraldo of Colombia had a 6-3,2-6,6-4 win over French Adrian Mannarino and Herbert cruised past fellow Frenchman Benoit Paire 6-2,6-2.