Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Richard Gasquet advance to 2nd round at Japan Open

Tsonga, Gasquet advance at Japan Open

TOKYO — Second-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France defeated Mischa Zverev of Germany 6-4, 6-3 Wednesday to advance to the second round of the Japan Open.

The 24-year-old Tsonga had 10 aces and saved four of five break points at Ariake Colosseum.

Tsonga will face Davis Cup teammate Richard Gasquet, who defeated Philipp Petzschner of Germany 6-3, 6-2.

It will be the seventh time the two Frenchmen have faced each other in the second round of the Japan Open.

“Richard is a good friend of mine,” Tsonga said. “I know him and he knows me very well. It’s going to be a good match.”

Also, Andreas Beck defeated Rainer Schuettler 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (3) in an all-German match to advance. The unseeded Beck had 12 aces and recovered a break in the third set before winning the tiebreaker.

Beck will face defending champion Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic in the second round.

Latvian qualifier Ernests Gulbis defeated sixth-seeded Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic 6-4, 6-4. Gulbis won 73 percent of his service points, had 13 aces and saved all five break points he faced.

Mikhail Youzhny of Russia also advanced, stopping Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil 6-2, 6-3 to set up a second-round match with third-seeded Gilles Simon of France.

U.S. Open champion Juan Martin del Potro was knocked out in the first round on Tuesday, losing to French qualifier Edouard Roger-Vasselin 6-4, 6-4.

Top-ranked Roger Federer pulled out of the event two weeks ago, citing fatigue, along with third-ranked Andy Murray of Britain, who withdrew because of a wrist injury.