Carlos Moya withstood a determined challenge from qualifier Tim Smyczek in the first round Thursday at Indian Wells, the tournament where he seized the world number-one ranking in 1999.

The veteran Spaniard held off the 22-year-old American to triumph 7-6 (9/7), 7-6 (7/5).

Moya is playing the Masters 1000 tournament, which runs alongside a WTA premier event under the BNP Paribas Open banner, for the first time since 2008.

Smyczek, playing his third ATP Tour event and his first Masters 1000, had set points in each set, but Moya managed to outlast him in each.

"I'm hitting the ball well and training well," said the Spaniard, who was hindered by a series of injuries last season. "But I can see I'm having trouble closing out matches.

"That's not something you can practice for. My goal now is to try and play as many matches as possible. In the first set I had so many chances. I made it very difficult to win."

Moya received a wildcard into the main draw. The top 32 seeds, led by Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, enjoy first-round byes.

Djokovic will open against American Mardy Fish - the man he beat in the final here in 2008.

Fish rallied Thursday for a 1-6, 6-1, 6-3 victory over Germany's Michael Berrer.

Fish said the chilly wind that prevailed during their match as darkness fell made it hard to get into the contest. But he was looking forward to tackling Djokovic again.

"We've played three or four times, we've had some great matches," Fish said. "He beat me at Wimbledon the last time we played in straight sets. Other than that it has gone the distance. We've had some great matches."

The women continued to jockey for position with first-round matches.

Italy's Roberta Vinci booked a second-round clash with two-time champion Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia, the 21st seed, with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-0 victory over rising US teen star Melanie Oudin.

Unheralded American Sloane Stephens, 16, booked a second-round match with defending champion and 12th seed Vera Zvonareva of Russia.

Stephens, ranked 747th in the world, beat Czech Lucie Hradecka 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (9/7).

While men's first-round action continues on Friday, the women's second round gets underway.

Second-seeded Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark opens her campaign against American Vania King. Fourth-seeded Russian Elena Dementieva and 10th-seeded compatriot Maria Sharapova will also in action, along with China's two Australian Open semi-finalists, Li Na and Zheng Jie.

Li, seeded seventh, will take on British qualifier Elna Baltacha while 18th-seeded Zheng will face Romanian Sorana Cirstea.

Former world number one Justine Henin, playing just her third tournament since launching a comeback after an 18-month retirement, will try to follow up her dominant first-round victory when she meets 31st-seeded Gisela Dulko of Argentina.

Friday night will feature the Hit for Haiti exhibition for the benefit of Haiti earthquake relief efforts.

Federer and Pete Sampras will play Nadal and Andre Agassi in one doubles match, then Steffi Graf and Lindsay Davenport will play Henin and Martina Navratilova.

The event is sold out and organizers hope to raise one million dollars for earthquake relief.

A similar event quickly arranged by Federar ahead of the Australian Open in January raised more than 600,000 US dollars.