Berdych, Tsonga overcome foes, advance to third round of Paris Masters

Paris, France (4E Sports) – Tomas Berdych moved to the third round of the Paris Masters after vanquishing Andreas Seppi, 7-6 (6), 6-2 while Jo-Wilfried Tsonga survived countryman Julien Benneteau 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 in a three-set thriller Tuesday at Palais omnisports de Paris-Bercy.

Berdych overcame a testy challenge by Seppi but the Czech came up with the big shots to take the opening set.

Berdych sustained his form into the second set, disposing Seppi to set a third-round match against the winner of Richard Gasquet-Kevin Anderson match.

Tsonga also advanced to the third round of the Paris tourney but not before surviving Benneteau in pulsating three-set affair.

Tsonga took the first in an emphatic fashion but Benneteau bounced back big time in the second set to force an equalizer.

Gasquet and Benneteau went back-and-forth in the third but the former persevered to clinch the victory.

On other matches, Igor Sijsling upset Alexandr Dolgopolov, Kei Nishikori defeated Benoit Paire, Jeremy Chardy bested Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, Grigor Dimitrov defeated Jurgen Melzer, Stanislas Wawrinka blasted Carlos Berlocq, Sam Querrey advanced as Fernando Verdasco retired.

---

---