Djokovic, Williams Win at BNP Paribas Tennis Open

Novak Djokovic opened his bid for a third straight BNP Paribas Open title Sunday night by surviving an unexpected challenge from American qualifier Bjorn Fratangelo in a match Djokovic won 2-6, 6-1, 6-2.

"All credit to Bjorn on playing a great match, but I wasn't feeling comfortable at all on the court," the top-ranked Djokovic said after extending his win streak at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden to 12 matches. "I was just trying to find a way, trying to hang in there and make it through."

The 22-year-old Fratangelo was the French Open boys' champion in 2011. He turned pro in 2012 but has been playing almost exclusively on the satellite tours. He is ranked No. 149, and his first-round win Friday was his first in four matches on the ATP World Tour.

He took a 4-0 lead in the opening set and kept the match interesting until Djokovic got back-to-back service breaks en route to winning the final five games.

"He deserved every point he got," Djokovic said. "He played a great match, especially in the first set."

Djokovic, who has a 17-1 record this season, took the court after top-ranked Serena Williams moved into the women's fourth round with a ragged 7-6 (2), 6-0 victory over Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan.

Later, fourth-seeded Rafael Nadal beat Gilles Muller of Luxembourg 6-2, 2-6, 6-4. Nadal got a tenuous grip on the match when a backhand passing shot gave him a 30-0 lead with Muller serving in the final game, and Muller double-faulted to make it 40-0. Nadal gave two points back on errant forehands, then won it with a forehand return that handcuffed Muller as he moved to the net.

In the opening set, Serena Williams showed the effects of a six-week layoff since her loss in the Australian Open final. The two-time tournament champion made 29 unforced errors and seemed completely out of a rhythm against Putintseva, who played aggressively and challenged every close line call.

"I was just trying to find my rhythm out there, trying my best to not get off to a slow start," Williams said. "Then I got broken really early, and I couldn't manage to break back. I was just trying to fight out there and do what I could.

"I found it [Putintseva's style] good to play. I just wasn't finding my rhythm. I hadn't played someone like her, so I was just trying to get my bearings there. I made a lot of errors in that first set. I went for a lot, and I usually make those, but I kept missing, even in the first game. Even though I won, I made some simple errors that just kept going for the first set."