Jo-Wilfried Tsonga saw off the determined challenge of Ernests Gulbis to reach the quarter-finals of the Thailand Open.
Frenchman needs three tie-breaks to progress
Defending champion Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was pushed all the way, but eventually saw off the challenge Latvian Ernests Gulbis to reach the quarter-finals of the Thailand Open.
After a first-round bye, Tsonga needed three sets - all of them tie-breaks - to finally get the better of his determined opponent.
However, having lost the first of them the Frenchman held his nerve to secure a 6-7 (3-7) 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-2) victory in two hours and 12 minutes.
Tsonga's compatriot Gilles Simon made a superb comeback after a month out with a 6-2 6-2 thrashing of American Kevin Kim that also saw him through to the final eight.
Tenth-ranked Simon retired with a knee injury from the US Open during a third-round match against Juan Carlos Ferrero.
The second seed bounced back to dominate play against Kim at the Impact Arena, with a notable baseline game that saw him wrap up the second-round tie in just 61 minutes.
"I didn't know what to expect but I played a good match," said the 24-year-old.
"My knee is still shaky but I tried not to think about it. I can play today but sometimes I wake up in the morning and it's painful."
Defeat
Meanwhile, American John Isner also reserved a quarter-final spot with his 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 defeat of Germany's Mischa Zverev in 1 hour 23 minutes.
The eighth seed will advance to face fourth-seeded Viktor Troicki of Serbia, who earned his place in the quarter-finals by beating 61st-ranked Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci.
"He's really good. He hits the ball really big," said Isner of impending opponent Troicki.
"So do I. It will be a good match. He has won a lot of matches this year. That's why he's 32nd in the world. I have to play like I did today if not better to beat him."
German Andreas Beck also sailed into the quarter-finals with a 6-1 6-7 (7-3) 6-4 victory over American Donald Young. Beck will next face sixth-seeded Austrian Jurgen Melzer who advanced to the quarter-finals with a win over Turkish qualifier Marsel Ilhan.
