Britain's Andy Murray beat Italian Filippo Volandri 6-4, 6-1 at the Monte Carlo Masters on Tuesday to line up a third-round match with Novak Djokovic.
Djokovic, the Australian Open champion, put in a solid performance to defeat Croatia's Ivan Ljubicic 6-3, 6-3.
Murray broke to love in the sixth game of the first set, only for Volandri to break back in the seventh under threatening skies in the principality.
However, the Scot took the set after 44 minutes by breaking his opponent's serve in the 10th game.
He was then simply too good for Volandri, who ran out of steam and lost his serve twice before bowing out with a wide forehand.
"It was very very tight, much tighter than the scoreline would suggest," said Murray.
"The key today was to be patient, with all these long rallies." Looking ahead, he added: "Novak is number one in the (ATP points) Race and he won the first Grand Slam of the year so it's gonna be tough. He's been very good in his first match."
Ljubicic, who showed no mercy in knocking out Gustavo Kuerten on Monday, was helpless on centre court against Djokovic.
Following an early exchange of breaks, Djokovic broke his opponent's serve in the fifth game and the Serb held on to take the first set.
After breaking again early in the second, he saved two break points in the eighth game before wrapping up victory when Ljubicic netted a forehand.
"It was not easy, we had only met two years ago in Zagreb in an indoor tournament" said Djokovic, who was presented with the ATP 2007 Most Improved Player of the year award.
Both players used to practice together and Djokovic said their friendship played a role.
"That is why I got off to a nervous start but then I played at a very good level," he said.
IMPORTANT WIN
"In the end I came up with a straight-set win, which is very important for me at the start of the claycourt season.
"Even though I faced a lot of break points, I played my best tennis in the most important moments and that's what matters actually most."
Former world number one Marat Safin made light work of Belgian Xavier Malisse with a 6-3, 6-2 win in a first round match.
The Russian wildcard secured victory in 62 minutes on his first match point when Malisse sent a forehand wide.
Safin next meets fifth seed David Ferrer of Spain.
France's miserable run at the claycourt tournament continued with Marc Gicquel being thrashed 6-0, 6-4 by Finn Jarkko Nieminen, who set up a second-round encounter with Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero.
Sebastien Grosjean retired with a thigh injury from his first-round match against Croatia's Ivo Karlovic when trailing 4-6 6-4 4-1. Gilles Simon suffered a 6-1 6-1 drubbing by Spain's Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo.
There was no scare for 12th seed Tommy Robredo, who went through with a 6-4, 7-5 defeat of Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka.