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Eastbourne - Top seed Richard Gasquet has turned 28 with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 defeat of Bernard Tomic on Wednesday to make a winning start at the Eastbourne International.
Gasquet advanced over the Australian youngster, who underwent double hip surgery in January, in one and three-quarters hours firing eight aces and saving nine of ten break points.
Tomic sent down 16 aces and goes into Wimbledon with confidence after his injury start to the season.
The Australian, a Wimbledon quarter-finalist in 2011, is looking forward to stepping onto the grass at the All England club for a sixth time after what he considers a decent preparation.
"I've had two good weeks, I'm happy with the way it's been going leading up into this. Wimbledon is my favorite tournament, so if I can get a good draw, first, second round will be very important for me."
Tomic knows what is missing in his game after going down to Gasquet, who won his first Eastbroune match after losing in 2012.
"I'm struggling to convert the break points lately," said the 21-year-old ranked 82nd. "Today I had a lot of break points, but I couldn't finish it on those occasions.
"But it was very good tennis. He's playing good and it's difficult to play against him. I think we played a good match, and this is what you need leading into Wimbledon."
Gasquet, competing in his third tournament since April after injury, moved into the quarter-finals after an opening bye as he bids for a third career trophy on grass.
Finn Jarkko Nieminen fell to Frenchman Edouard Roger-Vasselin 6-2, 7-6 (7-4) despite 11 aces.
In the women's draw at Devonshire Park, German fifth seed Angelique Kerber reached the last eight over Alize Cornet of France 7-5, 1-6, 7-6 (7-3).
Former number one and eighth seed Caroline Wozniacki beat American Sloane Stephens for the sixth straight time, winning 6-3, 6-3. The 2009 champion advanced in 66 minutes to next face Camila Giorgi.
The Italian continued her run of form as she dismissed Britain's Johanna Konta 1-6, 7-5, 7-5 a day after taking nearly three hours to upset former number one Victoria Azarenka,
American Lauren Davis beat experienced grass-courter Daniela Hantuchova 6-3, 6-3 as the Slovak played the event for a ninth time dating back a dozen years.
Results from the third day of the ATP/WTA Eastbourne Open on Wednesday (x denotes seeding):
Men
Second round
Richard Gasquet (FRA x1) bt Bernard Tomic (AUS) 6-4, 3-6, 6-3
Edouard Roger-Vasselin (FRA) bt Jarkko Nieminen (FIN) 6-2, 7-6 (7/4)
Denis Istomin (UZB) bt Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP x4) 6-2, 7-5
Martin Klizan (SVK) bt Donald Young (USA) 7-6 (7/4), 6-4
Sam Querrey (USA) bt Victor Estrella-Burgos (DOM) 7-5, retired
Julien Benneteau (FRA) bt Gilles Simon (FRA x6) 6-3, 6-4
Jeremy Chardy (FRA) bt Carlos Berlocq (ARG) 6-4, 7-5
Feliciano Lopez (ESP x3) bt Tobias Kamke (GER) 7-6 (12/10), 7-5
Women
Second round
Angelique Kerber (GER x5) bt Alize Cornet (FRA) 7-5, 1-6, 7-6 (7/3)
Lauren Davis (USA) bt Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) 6-3, 6-3
Camila Giorgi (ITA) bt Johanna Konta (GBR) 1-6, 7-5, 7-5
Ekaterina Makarova (RUS) bt Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) 6-3, 6-3
Caroline Wozniacki (DEN x8) bt Sloane Stephens (USA) 6-3, 6-3
Heather Watson (GBR) bt Flavia Pennetta (ITA x6) 6-7 (6/8), 6-4, 6-2
Petra Kvitova (CZE x2) bt Varvara Lepchenko (USA) 6-1, 6-4
Madison Keys (USA) bt Elena Vesnina (RUS) 7-5, 7-6 (11/9)
