Jo-Wilfried Tsonga celebrated his return to tennis after a lingering arm injury by beating Tim Smyczek yesterday to reach the third round of the Miami Masters.

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Tsonga, who hadn’t played since France’s Davis Cup tie against Switzerland in November, defeated the American 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 in a match postponed by the rain that washed out Friday’s night session at Crandon Park.

“I didn’t expect to play my best tennis today, but I’m happy the way I managed my match,” said the Frenchman, ranked 13th in the world. “I played pretty solid, I just had a little hole in the second set.

“But it’s normal when you didn’t play since couple of months now,” he added. “I hope it’s going to be better and better, but a first match was already something good for me.”

Tsonga finished with 30 winners and 36 unforced errors against his 74th-ranked opponent. The former Australian Open finalist converted two of his break point chances and delivered 10 aces.

Tsonga next faces good friend and Davis Cup team-mate Gael Monfils, a 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7/4) winner over Serb Filip Krajinovic.

“It’s always special to play a good friend,” Tsonga said. “But anyway, we know that on the court there are no friends. But of course, whatever happens on court, we are good friends outside.”

Elsewhere on a schedule catchup day, Japan’s fourth seed Kei Nishikori defeated Russian Mikhail Youzhny 6-2, 6-1 then had to wrestle after his media conference with a wiggly bulldog which has somehow been adopted as a tournament mascot and splashed all over social media.

“Just met Manny The Frenchie! He is very famous! I think more fans than me,” tweeted Asia’s top player and the 2014 US Open runner-up.

France’s Gilles Simon, the 12th seed, joined compatriots Tsonga and Monfils in the third round, beating Kazakh Mikhail Kukushkin 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 6-0.

Adrian Mannarino earned another French win as he defeated Albert Ramos-Vinolas of Spain 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 In women’s action, there was a second-round shocker for Canadian sixth seed Eugenie Bouchard who was beaten 6-0, 7-6 (7/4) by 113th-ranked German qualifier Tatjana Maria.

Seeds Sara Errani, the Italian No11, and No13 German Angelique Kerber, both advanced in their delayed matches, with Errani defeating Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-1, 7-6 (7/5) and Kerber dismissing Heather Watson 7-5, 3-6, 6-4.