Jo-Wilfried Tsonga overcame compatriot Richard Gasquet in a tough second round encounter at the Rakuten Japan Open.

Second seed Tsonga dropped the first set but turned the match around in the second set and went on to triumph 4-6 6-2 6-2.

"The conditions were very tough today," said Tsonga on www.atpworldtour.com. "I don't like to play in the wind.

"Richard plays well in the wind because he was born in the south of France and it is always windy there.

"I think my serve made the difference today. I was also happy for staying calm in the difficult moments of the match."

Tsonga, chasing his third title of the season, next faces qualifier Ernests Gulbis, who was leading Juan Monaco 6-3 4-1 when the Argentinian retired.

Defending champion Tomas Berdych had few problems brushing aside Andreas Beck 6-4 6-1.

"I have never defended a title before so I am hoping this can be the first time," said the Czech fifth seed. "I really like playing in Tokyo."

Berdych will meet Russia's Mikhail Youzhny in the quarter-finals. Youzhny upset third-seeded Frenchman Gilles Simon 7-6 (7/5) 6-7 (5/7) 6-4 in a match lasting more than two and a half hours.

Australian eighth seed Lleyton Hewitt survived a battle with veteran Fabrice Santoro, eventually prevailing 3-6 6-3 6-1, to set up a last-eight meeting with another Frenchman, qualifier Edouard Roger Vasselin.

The world number 189 followed up his victory over US Open champion Juan Martin Del Potro in the first round by fighting back to beat Austria's Jurgen Melzer 4-6 6-2 6-3.