PARIS (Reuters) – Japan’s Kei Nishikori overcame a sluggish start to see off local favorite Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 4-6 6-4 6-4 6-4 and reach the third round of the French Open on Wednesday.
The seventh seed looked tight in the opening set before finding his range on Court Philippe-Chatrier, rallying back from a break down in the fourth to advance in solid fashion.
Nishikori will face Serbian 31st seed Laslo Djere for a place in the fourth round.
Another Frenchman, Richard Gasquet, was also sent packing as he slumped to a 6-2 3-6 6-3 6-4 defeat by Argentine Juan Ignacio Londero.
A Gasquet victory would have guaranteed a French presence in the fourth round after the 20-year-old Corentin Moutet, Londero’s next opponent, downed Argentine 19th seed Guido Pella.
(Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Christian Radnedge)