Novak Djokovic edges past Gilles Simon at Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters

Simon served for the match at 5-4 in the third set but world number two Djokovic broke back before breaking again to secure victory in just over two and a half hours.

Djokovic, winner of the event in 2013 and 2015, forced 16 break points in the match and took six of them, but lost five of the six he faced on his own serve.

But he made the breaks when they mattered and clinched victory from his first match point to progress 6-3 3-6 7-5.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga is out of the competition after losing to fellow Frenchman Adrian Mannarino.

Seventh seed Tsonga won the first set on a tie-break but the world number 56 battled back to win 6-7 (3/7) 6-2 6-3 to reach the third round.