Intro:

There were wins for Canada's Vasek Pospisil and Ryan Harrison of the United States in the first round of the ATP 1000 Indian Wells event (BNP Paribas Open) in California on Thursday (12th March).

Australia's James Duckworth made it through to the second round of the ATP 1000 Indian Wells event in California on Thursday following a straight sets victory over Dominic Thiem of Austria.

Script:

The first round of the BNP Paribas Open got underway in near-prefect conditions.

Canada's Vasek Pospisil was up against Mikhail Kukushkin of Kazakhstan.

Pospisil took the first set 6-4 and at the start of the second, Kukushkin began to struggle with his movement.

The physio was called to courtside and after a brief delay Kukushkin carried on, but it was only a matter of time until he broke down through injury and decided to call it a day.

Pospisil goes through to the second round, where he will meet number four seed Andy Murray.

Therre was an all-American affair in the first round as Ryan Harrison took on former world number seven Mardy Fish; playing competitive tennis for the first time in over 18 months due to a heart problem.

Fish may need to remember which side of the net to stay on however; the moment of the match coming after the 33 year old fell onto Harrison's side of the net.

The pair shared the first two sets by the same score, 6-4.

But the third set went to a tiebreak.

Harrison served an ace to close out the match, taking it 6-4, 4-6, 7-6.

Elsewhere, Australia's James Duckworth took on Dominic Thiem of Austria.

There was little to choose between the pair in tight first set - it went to a tiebreak and Duckworth came out on top by seven points to five.

But Duckworth raced through the second set and the Aussie closed out a 7-6, 6-1 victory.