Tsonga dispatches Gasquet

Tokyo - Jo-Wilfried Tsonga outmuscled fellow Frenchman Richard Gasquet 4-6 6-2 6-2 to reach the quarter-finals of the Japan Open on Thursday.

The world number seven adjusted well after a shaky start in near unplayable conditions with typhoon winds causing the ball to dip and swerve, and blowing advertising boards across court.

"The conditions were terrible," second seed Tsonga told reporters.

"It was dangerous. I saw the (advertising) board start to move and thought 'Woah!' You never know what can happen."

Gasquet took the first set when Tsonga missed two routine volleys as he struggled to cope with the ball's ever-changing trajectory.

With the roof finally opened after three days of pouring rain, Tsonga roared back to level the match with some punishing baseline hitting.

An early break in the decider gave Tsonga the edge and he powered away, gaining a security break before closing out victory with a thunderous serve into the corner.

Former world number one Lleyton Hewitt also advanced to the quarters, the eighth seed beating Fabrice Santoro 3-6 6-3 6-1 to end the Frenchman's interest in his first and last Tokyo visit.

The 36-year-old, who will retire at end of the year, bowed out in typically flamboyant style, trying a totally unnecessary forehand through the legs which Hewitt dinked back for a volley winner.

"It's hard to get back your match toughness," said Hewitt, who had hip surgery following last year's Beijing Olympics.

"You can't buy that."

The two-times grand slam winner and former Tokyo champion added: "I felt I dictated today and got better and better as the match went on."

Hewitt plays Frenchman Edouard Roger-Vasselin next after the world number 189 followed his shock win over top seed Juan Martin del Potro by beating Austrian Juergen Melzer 4-6 6-2 6-3.

US Open champion del Potro headed the field at the $1.25m hard-court tournament after world number one Roger Federer and third-ranked Andy Murray pulled out.

Fifth seed Tomas Berdych showed the kind of form that swept him to last year's Tokyo title, the Czech overpowering Germany's Andreas Beck 6-4 6-1.