Tsonga blows into Tokyo quarters over Gasquet

TOKYO - Second seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga paced a French charge into the quarter-finals of the Japan Open, defeating longtime rival and friend Richard Gasquet 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 in a match played in residual winds of a typhoon which passed through early Thursday.

The 2008 Australian Open finalist was unexpectedly joined in the last eight by unheralded compatriot Edouard Roger-Vasselin, who followed up his first-round dismissal of top-seeded US Open winner Juan Del Potro with a comeback over Austrian Jurgen Melzer 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.

Czech fifth seed Tomas Berdych, his season now focussed on the December Davis Cup final in Spain, beat German Andreas Beck 6-4, 6-1.

Australian eighth seed Lleyton Hewitt ensured that Fabrice Santoro’s first and last visit to the event was a short one, as the 2001 champion sent the retiring French veteran out 3-6, 6-3, 6-1.

“I’m happy with the win today.” said Tsonga, who lost in last week’s Bangkok semi-finals as he began his autumn Asian run. “It was difficult to play in the wind.

“At one point an advertising sign blew across the court. It could have been dangerous.”

Tsonga said he dealt with the challenging conditions better than Gasquet, who still leads the series 4-3.

“Richard is from the south of France, where there is a lot of wind,” he said.

“But I served better than him today, that was the difference. It’s always a pleasure to play him, but it all changes when we go on court. We have to play and that’s it.

“I hope to keep up this level, I’m working to win the tournament,” said the winner of Marseille and Johannesburg titles earlier in the year.”

Eighth seed Hewitt pumped out 10 aces in the contest lasting just short of two hours, with the 36-year-old Santoro left with only a handful of tournaments before he wraps up his two-decade career at Paris Bercy next month.

“We’ve had some tough matches in the past,” Hewitt said after nudging ahead 3-2 in the series which began nine years ago in Cincinnati. “Fabrice plays well on this surface.

“I was expecting a battle, but it was nice to get away with a win.”

The Australian broke five times and ran away in the end with the concluding set as he served it out on the first of three match points.

After sitting out this part of the season a year ago due to a hip surgery, Hewitt said that he counts 2009 as a rebuilding year.

“I just want to get my ranking back up,” said the one-time number one and double Grand Slam champion, who his risen to 26th after starting season outside the Top 100.

“I hope to play some good tennis next season starting in Australia,” he said.