Jo Wilfried Tsonga has advanced into the quarter-finals of the Monte Carlo Masters with a 7-6 6-2 straight-sets win over Fernando Verdasco.
The opening exchanges went with serve but the match was delayed due to rain with the score at 3-2 Tsonga.
The wet weather subsided an hour later but it was a similar story after the break in play, with neither player able to pressurise their opponent's serve.
The first set went to a tie-break, where the Frenchman produced some of his best tennis, including a superb cross-court passing shot to win the breaker 9-7.
That gave the world number five confidence as he stormed into a 4-0 lead in the second set, breaking Verdasco twice with a pair of powerful forehands.
From then on Tsonga was in control and he went on to clinch the second set 6-2 and set up a last-eight meeting with either Giles Simon or Janko Tipsarevic.
Joe Fish
