Andy Murray made a winning return to action at the Open 13 in Marseilles as he beat Jesse Huta Galung 6-4 6-4.
It was his first match since missing Great Britain's Davis Cup tie with Argentina after being told swapping surfaces could aggravate a knee injury.
"The first set was very average but the second was much better," said Murray. "It comes and goes with my knee.
"There's pain with some movements but I have to live with it. I'd love to have a strong knee but it's not the case."
Murray, who used to share a flat with Huta Galung when they were both based in Spain, struggled to dominate the world number 190 at first.
After five straight breaks of serve the 20-year-old Scot held to win the first set.
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In game eight of the second set he came back from 0-40 to win, then took the next two to set up a clash with Stanislas Wawrinka.
Murray's decision to miss the recent Davis Cup tie in Buenos Aires upset some of his team-mates, with brother Jamie saying at the time: "If he wanted to really push himself he could have come here."
Great Britain coach John Lloyd was only informed of his decision through a third party, but he insisted he took Murray at his word about the injury, and he still had a role to play in future Davis Cup teams.
Murray had enjoyed a mixed start to the year, winning the Qatar Open but losing in the first round of the Australian Open to eventual runner-up Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
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