Playing in his first match in six weeks, Roger Federer made a winning return to action at the Monte-Carlo Masters on Tuesday. The world No 3 was playing his first match since the Australian Open and needed only an hour and a quarter to defeat Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-3 6-4.Federer suffered a knee injury running a bath for his young daughters and underwent surgery on February 3. He had planned to return in Miami three weeks ago but was forced to pull out through illness. The Swiss looked sharp and would have won more handsomely had Garcia-Lopez not fought back from 5-1 down in the second set.But it was nevertheless a highly satisfactory return for Federer at a tournament where he has reached the final four times but never lifted the trophy. Gilles Simon knocked out Grigor Dimitrov Grigor Dimitrov was unable to find the form that saw him beat Andy Murray in Miami as he lost 6-4 6-3 to 15th seed Gilles Simon while 11th seed David Goffin was an impressive 7-5 6-0 winner over Feliciano Lopez in round one.Home favourite and number eight seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was made to work hard for his 7-6 7-6 victory over Pablo Carreno-Busta.Philipp Kohlschreiber defeated youngster Borna Coric 6-4 6-4 and there were also wins for Fernando Verdasco, Taro Daniel, Damir Dzumhur, Pablo Cuevas and Joao Sousa. Watch the Monte Carlo Masters on Sky Sports all this week.By purchasing a Sky Sports Day Pass for £6.99 or Sky Sports Week Pass for £10.99, you can enjoy access to all seven Sky Sports channels and watch on a TV with a NOW TV Box or on a range of devices. Also See: Murray made to work for win Ferrer out of Monte Carlo Bedene sets up Nadal clash Monte Carlo: Big questions Adidas Nmd Womens Ireland . The third-ranked Lewis, a three-time winner this year on the LPGA Tour, had a 9-under 135 total at Emirates Golf Course in the Ladies European Tours season-ending tournament. Adidas Nmd Wholesale China .com) - Guard Greivis Vasquez and forward Patrick Patterson, two key pieces to the Toronto Raptors run to an Atlantic Division title in 2013-14, were both given qualifying offers by the team on Saturday. http://www.cheapnmdsneakersireland.com/.com) - Hassan Whiteside scored 20 points with nine rebounds in the Miami Heats 83-75 win over the Boston Celtics on Sunday. Adidas Basketball Shoes Wholesale .Y. -- First, Patrick Kane gave his family and friends something to cheer about by scoring a highlight-reel goal in a rare trip home to Buffalo on Sunday night. Discount Adidas Nmd Ireland . -- Stacy Lewis shot 7-under 65 to lead the LPGA Tour team to the championship of the 3Tour Challenge on Tuesday.CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Ron Rivera is staying in Carolina after leading the Panthers to their first playoff appearance since 2008. The Panthers rewarded "Riverboat Ron" on Tuesday with a three-year contract extension that runs through the 2017 season after Carolina finished 12-4 this season and won the NFC South championship. Carolina lost at home in the divisional playoffs to the San Francisco 49ers. Rivera started the season on the hot seat after a 1-3 start, but the Panthers rebounded to win 11 of their final 12 regular season games to earn a first-round bye in the playoffs. Rivera had one year left on the four-year, $11.2 million contract he signed in 2011 when first hired as head coach. Financial details of the new deal were not immediately available. "The improvement of our team has been reflected in the progress of the record over the last three seasons under Ron and we look forward to building upon that foundation," Panthers owner Jerry Richardson said in a release. Rivera is 25-23 in three seasons as the Panthers head coach. The decision to extend Rivera isnt surprising. Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman said two days after the season ended he had "ultimate faith" in Rivera as the teams coach. He made good on that statement this week, giving Rivera three additional seasons at the helm. "The team has shown improvement under Ron each year and he is deserving of the recognition that he has received for the 2013 season," Gettleman said inn the release.dddddddddddd "We are pleased and excited with the continuity this extension brings." The 52-year-old Rivera went 6-10 and 7-9 in his first two seasons in Carolina, starting those seasons 1-5 and 1-6 respectively. After Carolina stumbled out of the blocks this year with another poor start there was talk about Riveras future with the team. But following a road win at Minnesota in Week 5, the Panthers got hot behind quarterback Cam Newton and a stifling defence led by middle linebacker Luke Kuechly. Rivera did his part, too. He took on a gamblers mentality after the slow start often going for it -- and succeeding -- on fourth downs, earning him the nickname "Riverboat Ron." "I have been very clear about how much I have enjoyed living in Charlotte and working for this organization," Rivera said in the release. "I very much appreciate the support and confidence Mr. Richardson and Dave Gettleman have shown in me and our staff." Rivera quickly deflected praise from this past season, saying "Any success we have enjoyed is the result of a team effort by players, coaches, scouts and the entire organization, and our ultimate goal remains winning the Super Bowl." The next challenge for Rivera will be sustaining that success. Since joining the NFL in 1995, the Panthers have never been to the playoffs in back-to-back seasons. The extension comes two days after Rivera led his team to a victory in the Pro Bowl. ' ' '